A Fated Exchange
by chivalry-is-dead
Summary: TFP When Cliffjumper is subsequently captured and executed, can a mysteriously powerful femm who has no ties to either side even the battle for the Autobots? And why does she have no recollection of memories beyond 100 years ago? OPXOCXM Read and Review!
1. Prologue: The Time Before

chiv-id: =v=;;; What the hell am I doing? I have so much crap piled on top of crap, unfinished stories piled on top unfinished stories, I should just freaking stop writing altogether. However, Transformers just won't let my writing dieeeeeeeeeee! I mean, the Transformers Prime series is SICK. Animation-wise, the robots look AMAZING, though the human characters do need a little work. And unfortunately, I'm one of the many people who rather dislike Miko...I mean, that girl causes too much trouble and nothing bad happens to her. There is some karmic law where you do something bad and it'll bite you in the ass later...anyway, so this is going to follow the story pretty closely, but it's going to have a few twists in it, such as the adding of a new character and sub plot! Hope you guys like her!

Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers at all. All the concepts in here are theirs except for my OCs...and there's quite a few OCs.

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><p>A Fated Exchange<p>

Prologue: The Time Before

_**Cybertronian Data Log: [Earth Time] December 31, 1899 11:58 PM**_

"Holly, love, the washboard's been left out again by Marie," a woman's voice echoed from a warm fire-lit house located in a slowly decaying colonial town called Bareview within the New York lines, "Fetch it like a good girl for your mother." It was only a few minutes from the centennial fireworks display that was going to go off in the middle of the square and a small disappointed sigh was heard before a young red-haired girl left the home.

"And bring in the rest of the wash, would you? Fireworks tend to get the things dirty all over again," the girl gave a small proper frown at her mother's nagging words before stumbling down the steps of the porch to grab the basin, clothes, washboard, and all. It was heavy due to the water still left in it, but she could handle it as she spread her legs apart to compensate for the weight, inching towards the front door to bring it in.

"Don't try to force it in the front door, Holly," her mother warned, coming to stand in the red-head's way, "Go around the back and dump the water out properly, lest you'd like another flogging by your father." Holly drew her eyebrows together in a pinched manner, making an upset expression before huffing and determinedly shifting her direction around the back of the house. Her mother went back inside as the girl had to now walk the entire perimeter, taking breaks along the way.

"Why couldn't Marie have just done it herself…?" she muttered as she grunted from the weight, having to empty the water in a special bucket for reuse later, "Such a baby she-!" Suddenly, as the hands on her family's grandfather clock struck midnight, marking the centennial, a large blue-white circular explosion not unlike a firework caught her attention, causing her to look up. However, the strange thing about this particular "firework" was that it occurred much earlier than the others had…and something had fallen out of it, coming straight for the woods just behind her house. The normal fireworks that started going off covered up the loud crash that only Holly clearly heard as the rest of her family went to the porch to watch and set off their own measly centennial pyrotechnics.

"…What was that?" she asked softly, dropping the basin to run off towards where she'd seen the strange thing land. Holly hitched her gray wool skirt as she climbed over moss-covered logs, passed puddles of much and grime, determined to figure out what that mysterious and curious object was. She hoped desperately that it was a fallen star, so that she could ask for a wish like getting new friends.

"Just you wait, Mama, wishing ain't just for dreamin'," Holly determinedly spoke, running as fast as she could. And when she reached the middle of the forest, a ways from her home, she was breathing hard with effort. She put her hands on her knees and bowed her head to catch her breath when she noticed how quiet the area was…not even a cricket. Her senses became over-sensitive as she felt fear, remembering how just the other day a boy from her school was reportedly eaten by a wolf (though it was completely made-up). Suddenly, a twig cracking and a small whirring sound that she'd never heard before came due north from her, the girl spinning on her heel to look at it and falling down after she had her skirt accidentally caught on a fallen log.

"Uhh…ummfff…hello? Hello?" she called out frantically, hoping that it was a person who had made those noises. Holly started tearing up, no answer to be heard from whatever was out there, and she struggled to free herself from the log when she heard the odd whirring noise, followed by what seemed like an inhuman groan. She tugged harder on her skirt and it ripped, allowing Holly her freedom as she bolted from her previous place, rushing towards a tree and hiding behind it. The red-head youngster took a small breather before she peeked around her cover, green eyes blinking as she saw a remarkably large crater, a humanoid figure of sorts rising from the middle of it.

"...What…is that?" she moved closer to it, darting between trees and sparse bush to reach the unmoving thing. Another whirring sound coupled with a purple flash startled Holly, making her almost had it not been for another groan that emanated from the figure.

"…H-Hello? You…you need some help in there?" she asked, hoping her voice reached the strange creature so that she didn't have to move closer. At first, it didn't seem to respond to her words, and when she was about to go fetch her parents to help her investigate it, the alien wreck moved. She watched as it weakly reached an arm (at least, it looked like an arm) out of the ground underneath it, clawing at the ground while pulling itself from the crash site. Slowly, but surely, it made its way towards Holly, the girl all the while just watching with baited breath and a hammering heart.

"God, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, please don't let it kill me," she whispered to herself as she suddenly spun to have her back to the tree, praying as she saw that the mobile alien thing was getting larger and larger by the second, "I'll never talk bad about Marie ever again and I'll do everything Mama asks without back-sassin' and-!" She covered her mouth as she almost gasped loudly, the heavy scraping sounds of the moving wreck stopping near her in a grinding halt. Holly continued to quietly stay there, waiting to see if it was going to attack her before she took her hands from her mouth and glanced behind her slowly, getting an eyeful of a gigantic white eye that glowed at her. She screamed in terror before she started running as fast as she could away from it, hoping to put as much distance between herself and the thing when she heard something much more disturbing…words.

"_Help…_" it called out, in a strange weak feminine voice, "_Please…_" Holly skidded to a stop, her torn skirt whipping around her legs at her abrupt break in speed. She wrestled with herself over whether to look back or not, unable to ignore the pleading tone in the humanoid's voice. Eventually, she did turn around and by that time, the thing had its eye closed, making her feel more at ease.

"…Hello?" she tentatively called, just in case it decided to scare her out of her mind by jumping up suddenly, but it didn't. The girl cautiously made her way back and observed the decidedly benign or at least unresponsive alien being, crouching to get a good look. The thing was covered in what looked like metal, as shiny as an expensive gun kept by the rich folks, and it was pure white, too. However, from crashing into the woods, it was scratched, dented, and smeared with dirt and muck, Holly reaching out a finger to swipe away some of it. She could see that it had a head, like a human, and two arms with two legs, a torso, and even a face on that human-like head.

"What…are you, lady?" she murmured, deciding that the figure looked feminine at least, with a wide chest, narrow middle, and fanned-out hips. While it had been quite terrifying before, now that she had a good look at the severely injured female alien, Holly wasn't quite so scared of it. She started to wipe away parts of the grime and slime from the female's face before she heard that same whirring sound and backed away quickly, two glowing white eyes opening to stare at Holly.

"_…Wha…what is…?_" there was a slight cough in the humanoid's voice, clearly showing that she was in pain, "_Where…am I?_" Holly came back towards the figure and sat in front of her, the rest of the alien being completely immobilized except for the face.

"Why, you're in Bareview, New York, lady," the red-head answered with a definite nod, drawing her knees together.

"_Bare…view_," the creature let the word come out in segments, as if having a hard time saying it.

"Uh-huh," Holly slowly scooched closer to her new alien guest, "And I'm Holly. Holly Lavender, like the flower, but I don't smell like it."

"_Laven…der_," the female being repeated after the girl. Holly was quickly becoming entertained with her new acquaintance and the way she said words.

"And I'm a human being," the youngling jerked a thumb towards herself before putting her hands around her knees again, "What's your name? And where're you from? Do you know what ya are?" The questions seemingly caused the humanoid pain and Holly made a worried look, but the alien brushed it off and answered.

"_I…cannot remember my name…or my origin…or even what I am,_" she pushed out, groaning in pain as her torso expanded and shrunk, much like a human breathing.

"Are you hurt? There's something…coming out of you…and your head's got a funny-looking stick coming out of your head," Holly first pointed to the female's torso where a gash laid, oozing blue glowing liquid, then at the head where, indeed, a metal pole protruded from the back of it. The female being panted as she moved a hand agonizingly slow to press on the wound before moving her other hand to grasp the pole, pulling on it gently.

"Hey, don't touch that," the red-head chastised, getting up and touching the arm that was reaching for the pole, "That looks pretty serious." Holly grabbed her skirt and ripped it some more, running over and pressing the torn cloth to the humanoid's wound. While the girl worked on her torso, the strange alien female grabbed the pole with both hands, ignoring Holly, and wrenched it hard from her metal skull, breathing more easily after it was done, putting a hand over the gaping hole before looking back at Holly.

"_…Human…Holly…thank you_," she spoke, the girl nodding in return after she helped staunch the wound.

"You're welcome…umm…I don't know what to call you, lady," Holly gave a distressed look before looking back at the fireworks that they could see from their location, giving her an idea, "Why don't I call you…Centennia? Like centennial, since you came on the centennial? At least, until you get your real name back." The metal being was taken aback at first before thinking and nodding, smiling softly at Holly.

"_I…am Centennia. Of Bareview, New York,_" the humanoid figure said with confidence, finding solace in an identity, though temporary, "_Who befriended the human, Holly Lavender…like the flower, but not like the smell._" Holly giggled at Centennia's words before helping clean off the grime, trying to help the alien at least look a little better.

"You talk funny…I like you," the little girl laughed, moving away from Centennia towards her house, "And you think we're…really friends?"

"_…Only if you wish it, Holly Lavender_," Centennia responded decidedly, though there was an expectant sad look in her glowing white eyes.

"...I wanted to find a fallen star…so I could wish up friends…" the red-head smiled and came close to Centennia's face, touching it softly, "'Course we're friends!" And with that, the birth of a companionship began between the Lavender family and that of a strange unknown alien being called Centennia…a companionship that would one day be tested as the war that she had escaped from on Cybertron would soon make its way to Earth…_between the Autobots and the Decepticons._

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><p>chiv-id: Yaaaaaaaayyyy new story! God, I really need to finish my other stories...<em>FFFFFFFFFFFFF<em>

_(KARMIC GOD INSERT HERE)_

chiv-id: Anywho, I hope you guys enjoyed the prologue and I'll be sure to check in with another chapter soon!_  
><em>


	2. Prologue 2: The Two Leaders

**chiv-id: ZOMG, IT'S BEEN...FOREVER. AND IT'S NOT EVEN A RECENT CHAPTER. Yeah, sorry for yanking your chain you guys, my schedule's been tight since I've been getting serious about college and it's hard to come up with stuff when you stay up until 2 AM studying your ass off, but have faith! I'm typing out 3 chapters of this stuff, not including this prologue chapter, all at once so I can update...meh, every week or something? Maybe every two weeks? It helps to have it planned out in a row, so I hope you'll be up for some MIND-BLOWING ACTION later on. I've got something WRITTEN for 3 chapters already, as I've stated, but ideas for like...10 more chapters already in place, so BE EXCITED.**

**chiv-id: Oh, and explanations for this prologue chapter. A reviewer recently highlighted something for me (thank you Ghost of the Dawn) that I ALWAYS start my fics off with OC chapters. Well, this prologue is SPECIFICALLY JUST FOR YOU, GHOSTIE! I hope you like it, since I think it may actually help explain a few details in later chapters as well as provide exactly what the f*ck these sexy-ass Cybertronians were doing before the premise of the story! There may be a few things that might confuse readers who've already progressed to chapter 7 of this fic, so I'll be explaining that at the end.  
><strong>

**Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers or any of it, they're all from Hasbro and whatever guys wrote the Exodus books and whatevs...too tired to fully type out this godd*mn intro naoooooooowwww...READ TIMEZ!**

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><p>A Fated Exchange<p>

Prologue 2: The Two Leaders

_**Autobot Data Log: [Earth Time] 4 YEARS FROM PRESENT DAY**_

Streams of blue-tinged bits of data in a vast world of darkness…this was what a dream was to a Cybertronian. There was no romanticism or mystical premise to it, just random memories fading in and out of the consciousness. No meaning really, albeit the filing into its appropriate folders and order of course, and that was what Optimus Prime accepted. He watched it from some unseen place in his own processors, like observing an interesting recording that just passed him by as if there was some need for approval from the owner himself.

There went by the siege of Hydrax Plateau, flickers of Energon blasts and Optimus' first kill in the war, a nameless industrial drone who had the unfortunate happenstance of leaping at him from the front while Prime's attention was at its fullest. He turned away from the stream and it floated past him, unable to remember the moment without feeling slightly sick. It was the first time he forced a hapless Cybertronian to the Well of All-sparks, and it wouldn't be the last.

Then, a large and imposing stream came showing him Megatron's involvement in his life. A few screenshots of their conversations over the Communication Grid and then meeting in person. Prime, who had only been a simple data clerk then from the Iacon Hall of Records, was a quite a few meters shorter then and had to crane his helm up to look at the imposing warrior. And 'Megatronus' in all his glory was…well, _glorious_. When he was the hero the crowds of Cybertronians cheered on relentlessly, a mech who defended his title with fangs and claws bared and demanded respect without a single word. Optimus knew what was coming next, however, and from the happy memories of their friendship came the downfall of their partnership torn asunder.

**A betrayal, said 'Megatronus'. **

**An act of peace, said 'Orion'.**

And from there, the differences only continued to push them apart, yet tying their fates together to be in a feud that would destroy their planet. There were so few good memories that he had in his long and tumultuous life, and Prime wished he'd made more before the outbreak of the Civil War. That stream of data whisked by him, as if sensing the displeasure and discontent spreading throughout his processors. Instead, it presented him with a very long-forgotten stream of recollections, ones that glowed brightly before him.

A femm…gleaming in a dazzling silver and black combination armor set, albeit scuffed and battle-worn, with a few red highlights that touched upon her most outstanding joints. She was perhaps far too graceful and gentle despite her origins and background as a gladiator of Kaon, but it was the combination of fierce and tenderness that had 'Orion' amazed. There never were many femms that he interacted with due to his reclusive nature as a data clerk, but even he knew that the upper-crust lady-automatons of Iacon seemed like over-pretentious scrap in comparison to her. And when he first saw her, battling a large mining robot that sought to drill a large hole through her body, Orion was half-expectant to see the poor creature to expire from fight. Instead, the femm pulled through, only seeing flashes of the fight as the crowd roared at the two combatants, but he could never forget the small act of respect that she would give, putting a hand over the optic visor of her opponent and bow her head as if remorseful. That twinge of compassion would always spark something within him whenever he saw her, and it carried on even to this day as the that particular bit of data flitted past him slowly.

Before he could continue his reminiscing, however, a voice caught his attention…

_Destination reached…releasing stasis pods…Pod 1…Class: Prime…full designation: Optimus Prime._

There was a hissing noise as Optimus felt his consciousness pull away from the inward reflection to observe his environment, the pod he was stationed in opening to give way to a starlit backdrop. He unfolded his arms, the metal joints creaking in their disuse. He turned his helm to the side, looking at his teammates who were about to be released before looking at the planet before them. It was mostly lightly blue with white wisps hovering over green and brown patches of land. Completely different from their dead world, Optimus felt renewed hope and stepped from his pod.

_Pod 2…Class: Medic…full designation: Ratchet._

Leaving the system to release his friends, Optimus stretched his limbs, flexing his metal digits as he approached the window. It really was a strange sight, but it in of itself was a different kind of beautiful he supposed. And as he drifted back into thought, he couldn't help but think of the femm who he never really forgot. There were many things he regretted, but if there was anything he could've taken back, it would've been the day he lost her…

_Pod 3…Class: Wrecker…full designation: Bulkhead._

A groan caught his attention somewhat, but when he turned around, Ratchet was already helping the slow-moving mech from the pod. He blinked his bright blue optics before looking at the leader, grinning shakily before his knees gave out and a loud crunch of metal rubbing against metal was heard. Ratchet sighed with a shake of his head and grunted as he tried to pull the larger mech to his feet. Optimus would've almost chuckled, but instead settled with a small smile as he returned to _her_. He hadn't thought of her in so long…what had brought her about?

_Pod 4…Class: Scout…full designation: Bumblebee._

The last of their troupe tumbled sideways from his pod, having slept at a rather irregular position due to his smaller size and ability to squirm. He bashfully rubbed the back of his head before looking over at Bulkhead and buzzing as he helped Ratchet pick up the heavy mech.

"Welcome back to the living, everyone," the medic gruffly commented, making sure Bulkhead was steady before releasing him.

"Good to be back, doc," Bulkhead gave a small groan as he put a servo to his helm, "Got anything for a bad headache?" Bumblebee similarly buzzed and Ratchet then scolded them accordingly on not getting a full Energon recharge before leaving, shaking his head before pulling both subordinates to the med-bay for a quick infusion.

"Optimus, are you in need of any Energon before we get started figuring out _where_ in the name of All-Spark we've gotten to?" Ratchet asked before leaving, and Optimus paused before nodding silently. As soon as all of his teammates departed, letting him be alone once more, the leader of the Autobots looked out amongst the stars, wondering…

"_Whiplash…_" he rumbled deeply, his optics closing as he tried to visualize her face, "_Wherever you are, I hope you've found what you were looking for._" With that, Optimus left to join his crew in some much-needed discussion over their current destination…

_**Decepticon Data Log: [Earth Time] 3 YEARS FROM PRESENT DAY**_

"My liege, are you sure you want to be doing this? _Now_ of all times?" a hesitant Starscream asked, standing at an angle away from the Decepticon leader. Megatron's red optics were locked on the Energon infusion cord that was currently giving him an extra tank of the powerful Cybertronian fuel, preparing him for a long journey. He paid no heed to the fidgeting commander behind him, save for if the worm would try to get in his way, and promised to squash at least one of those annoyingly-pointed feet should he do so.

"The Autobots we're tracking have landed on this particular planet! And according to the information _I've_ gathered personally at my own expense, they've at least 6 members, two of which are a scout and – "

"Starscream, would you stop your incessant blathering?" he asked in a dangerously low voice, the rustling sound of the releasing suction causing Starscream to step back.

"I just…" the air commander audibly gulped and continued to peddle backwards slowly in a hunched form, "Wish to know what your orders are during your leave, my lord."

"Your objective is the same as ever, Starscream," he turned to look at the slim and silver mech with a slight loathing tone to his voice, moving his fist suddenly close to the Seeker's face before clenching it hard, "Crush those bothersome Autobot scum and take the Energon, even if you have to destroy the whole planet! _If_ you can manage it in my absence…" The winged automaton started for a second before bowing low, a slight seething look to his normally frightened face.

"Leave it to me, Lord Megatron," Starscream bowed lower to cover for the disdain, "You'll not be disappointed, not while I am left in charge." Megatron was passing the second-in-command when he heard the last of his words, stopping side-by-side with him before his claw found its way on his subordinate's wing, the squealing of his sharp digits digging into the metal causing Starscream gasp in pain.

"_Temporary_ care," Megatron warned as his optics flashed, the commander getting to his knees to alleviate the pain, "You'd do well to remember that Starscream. No matter how long I am gone, no matter what distance I am from my throne, you rule in my name and _my name alone_." Starscream nodded with a slight whimper before sighing at the release of his wing, bringing a long-fingered hand to massage the dented appendage gently. Megatron paid no heed to the cowardly mech before he headed toward the hangar of the ship and jetted off to outer space. His reasons for this trip were quite private, only having shared the matters with the wordless Soundwave and even then on a limited basis.

Firstly, to build an army. True, he'd brought a great number of Vehicons and Seekers with him on the _Nemesis_, but in time they would dwindle. And time was not a luxury they could afford to spend so extravagantly. Not to mention the borderline paranoia he experienced from time to time, not helped by his treacherous second-in-command plotting his downfall (though most of his plans were laughable and ended usually with his fusion cannon blowing some part of his body off). No, Megatron needed a loyal army bent around his words alone, and it would have to be great, for which he sought answers amongst the stars.

Secondly, Soundwave had alerted him to a very interesting piece of news: an old 'friend' had left an ionized trail in her wake, part of which was detected by Soundwave passing by. She was here…somewhere in this galaxy, and Megatron was not one to let old grudges by so easily. He soared through the empty vastness of space, away from the blue-green planet and his beloved _Nemesis_ orbiting above it, following the trail he received from Soundwave on his display. It was faint and quite scattered, but it made a solid-enough trail for him to track on his own, and he would have grinned had he not been in his alternate mode, eager for his vengeance.

He'd not seen her since she had left him, which was well before even the first half of the war was barely over, but Megatron would never forgive the betrayal he had felt. The one who promised her life for him, her spark, her soul. He held her close, believing she'd never leave him like Orion, but she did…and she would _pay_ for it. Even if it meant him ripping a clean hole through her spark chamber, just as she'd done to him albeit in a metaphoric way.

Multi-tasking was not a forte for Megatron, so the army-building would have to take precedence, but every now and then, he'd make sure he was on the right path, checking to see if those little ionized particles were floating around and confirming her presence. She'd been running for a long time, but now he had her in his sights, and she wouldn't get away from him this time.

"_I will find you,_" he growled out in the soundless space before him as he chased the particles, "_And when I do, there'll be one less traitor in this universe!_"

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><p><strong>chiv-id: Well, guys, what did you think?! Leave me a review and let me know!<strong>

**Oh, and for those of you who've already read up to chapter 7 or actually even chapter 1 (DON'T READ THIS IF YOU HAVEN'T READ CH.1 OF THE STORY):**

** I'm not saying that Megatron's crew actually got here 100 years ago or even before that. That would definitely contradict the Prime story (original) and what's written here in this prologue. I'm thinking that the guys who actually PUT the Energon here were the ones that were targeting her, so they're old as hell. And some of them were kept there to guard the Energon, sort of like Skyquake only they were up and about and not happy about 'you-know-who' walking around all joyful and amnesiac with her human family. YUP. So, not the original _Nemesis_ crew, just some random-ass oldies who decided, "Oh, let's f*ck up this family 'cuz we know what she did to Megatron and she loves this family-" and all that.**


	3. Unexpected Misunderstanding

chiv-id: All righty, just wanted to get the first chapter done at least! And if it seems like I'm rushing through the story, please say so! I enjoy it when people give me (USABLE) feedback because it helps improve my writing! However, no flaming or mindless bashing...it doesn't help the story progress any further and it's just distasteful. Anywho, hope you like this next chappie!

Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers. None of it. Except for my OCs and this story.

A Fated Exchange

Chapter 1: Unexpected Misunderstanding

**PRESENT DAY: Jasper, Nevada**

"Centennia, they're still out there…what're we going to do?" a calm, but clearly worried tone emanated from Marleen Lavender's mouth, her short red-hair being blown by the subterranean drafts that rose from the caves she hid in. It was a dire and grim situation Centennia had gotten herself and her humans into that day. They were just trying to find a place to stay for the night before and in the morning, found themselves cornered in the caves they took sheltered in by large robots that were not unlike Centennia. Marleen Lavender, 29-year-old mother of the 10-year-old twins Ally and Max Lavender, was currently trying to keep her children quiet so as not to alert the dangerous bots as Centennia surveyed the outside.

"We have to wait them out…because as far as I can tell," Centennia looked behind herself and noted the cliff and the bottomless drop that awaited them a few yards away with the flashlights on her chest, "We can't retreat into the rest of the caverns. And trying to outrun them is useless, not when I haven't been able to recharge." Centennia attempted to transform, but her energy was just too low even for that: a white beat-up 1953 Chevrolet 210. She briefly glanced at her own body, even more horrid than her first appearance some hundred years ago. There were more than a few rust stains now and there were many makeshift repairs that she herself had to do, considering her make and model wasn't exactly Earth-based to begin with. The only positive attribute she had gained over the years that's prevented her from shutting down completely was the solar energy panel system in her chest, probably the only part of her that was well-kept and a gift from one Dr. Harold Lavender, an innovator and inventor who had been deceased for some time.

"The children haven't fed since last night and it's already the afternoon," Marleen hugged Ally and Max tightly, both of them weak from hunger, "They'll starve if they don't eat…" Centennia knew full well the risks of deciding to stay out of the public sectors of Jasper, Nevada, but she had sensed some strange goings on in the area since she had visited last. Now, she regretted it, watching as Ally and Max both grew paler from the lack of nourishment, their red hair only a stark contrast to their skin and a reminder of their condition.

"I'm sorry, but those candy bars were the only things we had since the last town over and-_sshhh, get down_," Centennia curled herself over Marleen and the kids, inching away from the sun that crept into the crevice that they had crawled into before, watching as a large purple-tinted robot walked past them unknowingly. And he wasn't the only one out there, armed with deadly lasers and other alien tech that could fry them in a heartbeat. These other bots had no mercy for humans or Centennia, a learned experience over the years she had spent watching out for the Lavender family. Now, the only surviving blood relatives were Marleen and the twins, Centennia desperate to keep them safe.

"It's just not safe out there. We have to stay," Centennia told her reluctantly, putting a hand around the three small humans with an apologetic expression, "It's our only chance." She had seen countless descendants of Holly die, some of them from natural causes such as old age and childbirth, and others from being hunted by those same purple robots that were outside the cavern now from mere association with her. However, she would never abandon them again, remembering the slaughter of June 1934 when she'd decided to disappear from the Lavenders' lives completely, only to hear that the enemy had taken advantage of her absence…and burned an entire plantation of Lavenders.

"Maybe someone'll come help us…" Max mumbled quietly, his eyes opening slightly before closing. Centennia woke from her reverie to look down at the small boy. Though he was Ally's older twin, he was slightly shorter than her and smaller in size, making Ally look more like the older sibling. Max was innocent and kind, though a bit hard-headed when it came to food and wanting to ride shotgun in her cab, but…he didn't deserve this…

"Shhh, shhh…save your strength," Marleen glanced at Centennia, both of them having no hope that there would be any rescuing done…at least, not for the likes of them. Suddenly, the roaring of an engine perked Centennia's audio receptors, Centennia pressing the humans to keep low to the ground as she ventured closer to the opening of their cave. She peeked and saw that there was a blood-red bot standing at the lip of the crater before it was shot down by some of the patrolling violet automatons, causing her to narrow her eyes. She'd never seen the others shoot their own kind before, Centennia becoming suspicious as she watched the purple robots attack the red one with horns as if their mortal enemy.

"Centennia, what's going on?" Marleen asked, bringing an arm up as the battle started causing the cavern to quake, pieces of rock and rubble falling around them as Centennia rushed back to cover them. Suddenly, several red lasers darted towards her, one grazing her on the shoulder as she continued to protect her human companions.

"One of them is fighting the rest, but I-"

_**KABOOM!**_

A gigantic blue-flamed explosion erupted outside their cavern, Centennia's optics going wide before she shut them tight and curled into a ball around Marleen, Ally, and Max. The magnitude of the blast caused her to pitch forward towards the unending darkness of the drop, but she managed to hold onto the lip of the cliff before they completely fell. However, the pain Centennia felt was excruciating, every nerve in her metallic body coursing with a searing burning fire that almost made her lose her grip on the three humans she was trying to keep safe.

"Everyone, hold on!" she yelled over the roaring flood of blue-tinged flames, pouring over her and the edge of the cliff. Every circuit in her hand felt as though it were being ripped apart by the power of the explosion, but once it subsided, she slowly pulled herself and the others up with a measure of difficulty. They immediately started coughing violently as the aftermath of the blue-fire faded into dark black smoke, constricting their lungs.

"Don't breathe in the smoke and stay low, hurry," she told them, not having the need to breathe as she hovered over them while crawling towards the exit. She hissed when she tried to use the hand that had been bathed in the fire, pieces of her metal armor slipping off and showing the wiring underneath, oozing blue liquid. Centennia tried to fully comprehend what had happened, but upon seeing the dim slate-grey color of the once vibrant blue crystals, she had a slight understanding that perhaps they were the cause of the blow-up. She looked up as the rest of the purple robots had evacuated luckily enough, allowing her time to find an opening in the dark black plumes of smoke to recharge via the sun, opening her chest panels to let the rays soak in while cradling her injured hand. They were all filing into a warship that was obscured by the cover of the smoke, allowing some safety in her decision.

"Uggghhh…w-why're they leaving?" asked Ally as quietly as she could, one hand over her mouth to prevent the violent hacking from making too much noise.

"They were here for all this…whatever this is," Centennia picked up a dull gray shard and dropped it from her chest height, causing it to shatter while her eyes narrowed slightly, "And since most of it looks dead, they don't need to be here anymore." During the small moments that they were shaded from the warship that hovered over them and safe, Centennia wondered who that red bot was, where did he go, and why the others were attacking him when they were clearly of the same origin? These questions had to wait, however, as the warship suddenly took off, capturing her attention.

"So…can we go get something to eat now?" Max eagerly questioned now that all the commotion was over, Centennia and the others chuckling at his enthusiasm for food. They were ever the optimists, despite the things they had seen and the constant nomadic movements of their journey, and Max was perhaps the most light-hearted out of them all.

"…Of course, once my recharge is done," Centennia responded, turning her chest more directly towards the sun. The female machine hoped fervently that one day, the Lavenders would be free of this persecution, from these foreign combatants who seemed to be so hell-bent on hunting down every last one of Holly's descendants.

"Hey, Centennia," Marleen kneeled by a large chrome horn that resembled the ones the red bot was wearing, broken and scuffed, "What do you make of this?" Centennia reached over and picked it up with her unharmed hand, turning it over to her other palm as she examined it.

"It must've come from that red robot I saw earlier…" the weary machine replied, sighing, "They were fighting rather seriously…but because of the explosion, I couldn't see what had happened to it…"

"Maybe it was like you," Ally offered, coming over and hanging over Centennia's knee, which was larger than her own head, "Maybe it was a good robot." Centennia didn't reply, only continued studying the strange object until a bubbling sound was heard and a green-white portal erupted near where the enemy warship had once rested.

"Quickly, hide!" she shouted to the humans, ushering them behind a couple of desiccated crystals, their location luckily obscured by the residual smoke. And while she had managed to keep them out of view, she wasn't able to find her own hiding spot as more robots came through that portal, causing her to freeze in an awkward crouched position. They flew out with their weapons readied for action and Centennia backed away to lure their sight from her human charges. Her eyes narrowed as the last one came out…and it was a _big_ one.

"_Stand down_," it ordered in a low and serious voice, the rich timbre showing that the bot was male, "_And surrender yourself._" Centennia had a long history with the alien invaders, and it had surprised her that this one had asked for her to surrender as opposed to just shooting her immediately. Moreover, these were actually quite the array of colorful automatons, the biggest one and supposedly the leader adorned in blue, red, and chrome. However, she still didn't trust that these were any different, years of painful experience teaching her that just because they seemed like her, didn't mean they weren't going to blast her where she stood without a moment's hesitation. Centennia kept her eyes on them as two poles morphed from her back, her free hand reaching up to grasp it in preparation.

"Not likely," she replied in a steely tone as her battle mask slid on, her optics glowing a bright white. She couldn't fight them, knowing that her energy needed to be saved for driving and the fact that it might endanger the Lavenders. If she could just get a distraction, she could drive off with the Lavenders and escape, hoping for a quick getaway.

"…_You, that's Cliffjumper's horn!_" one of them yelled at her now, a clearly angry female voice rattling off the stones in the crater, "_What did you do to him?_" It came from a blue and pink android, her guns pointed at Centennia's hand that clutched the chrome horn. Centennia looked at it and gripped it tightly, raising it so that they could all see it.

"Was this your comrade's?" she asked, the blue and pink female furiously glaring at Centennia, "…Then perhaps we can negotiate." The leader of the other robots continued to keep his weapon up after some consideration, Centennia not budging in like.

"You are outnumbered and surrounded," the matter-of-fact tone in his voice made her grip the weapon still residing in her back tighter, "There is only surrender." And of course, he was right, Centennia mentally noted, her optics darting between the five of them.

"A pity," she said without much sarcasm or lip, "I believe that there's a second option…" With that, Centennia suddenly threw the ornamental piece at the robots before running back towards Marleen and the kids, scooping them up and transforming around them. The thrown object only caught the others' attention for a second as the opposing forces redirected their firing on Centennia's fast-moving automobile form, veering up the side of the crater to rocket up before landing heavily on her tires.

"Centennia, get a move on!" Marleen yelled, covering the children in the back seat as Centennia punched it, the wheels screeching and throwing up dirt as she sped off towards the suburban area of Jasper, Nevada. As far as Centennia could tell, the enemy robots tended to stay away from the populated areas when they needed to and she could only hope that she wasn't bringing more trouble as she roared along the road away from her new pursuers.

**[AUTOBOT RECORDS]**

"The first Decepticon activity in three years..." Ratchet commented in a serious voice as he watched the vehicle speed away, Optimus having ordered everyone to ignore the white robot that had just fled the scene.

"That we know of. If they're scouting for Energon, they may be preparing for his return," Optimus replied, walking along the ridge as he stared at the scorched mess of the once usable Energon surplus. Arcee was carrying the horn that the mysterious femm in white had thrown, looking at it worriedly. Optimus turned towards Ratchet as the medic examined the horn next to her.

"Ratchet, can you track his position?" Optimus asked, Ratchet opening his scanner to check for Cliffjumper's signal.

"No…" the medic whispered in horror as his eyes widened, a dead long beep sounding that made everyone back away from shock, "Cliffjumper's life signal…just went offline." Arcee turned away, gripping Cliffjumper's horn tightly as she closed her optics, then she glared, looking to Optimus.

"We shouldn't have let her go!" she cursed, her expression vengeful, but Optimus put a hand on Arcee's shoulder, "Why did you let her go?"

"She was wounded," he told Arcee as she calmed down somewhat, having noted it when he saw the hand that was carrying Cliffjumper's horn, "We'll be able to track her with the Energon scanner." He slipped his hand away from her shoulder as he looked out towards the residential suburbia of Jasper, Nevada, optics locked on it. A Decepticon would never run towards a human population, not if they wanted to keep a low profile…and why hadn't she gone with the rest of them when it was obvious that they had fled in an orderly matter or else there would have been more Decepticons left behind?

"She has a lot of explaining to do…" Optimus heard Ratchet say as he turned to follow Arcee to give Cliffjumper's horn a proper burial, at least. The leader of the Autobots stayed for a few more seconds before turning his back to the fleeing white vehicle and following his subordinates.

"_…That she does, Ratchet…that she does._"

chiv-id: And that concludes chapter one of the story. Yep, starting WAAAAYYYY back in the series, from the MINISERIES. God, I totally love this new Transformers series, it is the BOMB. *GUSHES* Anyway, REVIEW peoples, I would love to hear your comments!


	4. Good Deeds Rewarded

chiv-id: All righty, another chapter done! Hrrrmmm, these might be long and drawn out, but I'm trying to work into a good pace here...hopefully, I'll be able to at least get past the miniseries before I start running out of fuel. *cries so hard* Anywho, please enjoy the next segment of A Fated Exchange! Still no romance, but it'll be getting started soon!

Disclaimer: I wish I owned Transformers, but I don't, that's Hasbro. However, I do own, Marleen, Ally, and Max Lavender, as well as Centennia. And Holly Lavender, but from here on out, it's mostly just going to be the mother and the twins.

* * *

><p>A Fated Exchange<p>

Chapter 2: Good Deeds Rewarded

**[**_**Centennia Logs**_**]**

"OK…I think we're safe now," Marleen said and clambered over the armrest to get into the automaton's front seat, having buckled the children in the back seat. She tried to take Centennia's wheel, but the machine wouldn't have it as she raised it out of Marleen's reach.

"No, we're not," Centennia told her firmly, repositioning back into normalcy, "We're getting a bite to eat and leaving, that's it. Jasper's not safe." She hated taking such a strict tone with Marleen, but Centennia knew that she herself was responsible for all this…if only she disregarded her intuition and continued to drive past Jasper, none of this would have happened. Now it seemed like she had just alerted the enemy to their presence, after having been in hiding for so long. All she wanted to do was right the wrong, quickly, and fade into nonexistence again.

"I get that, Centennia…and can you slow down? There are cops here like any other place and I really don't want to have to Taser them again…" Marleen reminded her, Centennia reluctantly slowing down as she started entering the tumbleweed town of Jasper, "Thank you…and don't worry. This isn't the first time we've run into them and it won't be the last, but we'll manage it just the same like the rest."

"I don't believe they're the 'same' as the others," Centennia voiced her opinion out loud as Marleen took hold of Centennia's wheel to make it look as though the automaton was a normal car, "Their late entrance, their armor, asking for surrender-"

"…Are you saying we should've surrendered to them?" Marleen asked in a serious tone, and Centennia was quiet for a moment. The red-headed woman gripped Centennia's wheel tightly, both of them remembering how Karl Lavender had pleaded with the enemy robots before, three years ago when they were caught at the Grand Canyon with nowhere to run. Karl had spent his last moments being the distraction, Centennia, Marleen, and the twins all witnessing his death when the leader of their battalion merely sneered and fired a missile straight at him. It was a moment they would never forget, and one that Marleen would never forgive as long as she lived…

"No," Centennia replied, taking a left as she remembering that there was a KO Drive-In not too far into Jasper, "We will never surrender. I swear to you, Marleen…I will do everything that I can to keep you and the children safe from them. For Karl. For your ancestor, Holly."

"…I know Centennia…" Marleen stayed quiet for a few minutes after that as she tried to keep her tears in check, the female automaton knowing full well that Marleen still grieved over that moment when she'd seen Karl disappear into that bright white light of fire and hell, for good. And while Centennia had lived for much longer than Marleen, it still pained her to see when another loved one is lost.

"Centennia, the KO Drive-In is over there," Marleen tugged her wheel towards the parking and Centennia drove into an empty stall, letting her engine die as the kids were escorted into the establishment, "We'll just get some take-out and eat in."

"Do not worry," Centennia's mirrors shifted left and right, monitoring the area, "I checked my intake and it seems I need to recharge for a longer period of time if we're going to be passing state lines, so it'll be fine if you take an hour. I'll radio you if there's a change in plans." Marleen nodded before taking the twins inside, but Max shook off his mother's arm and dashed back to Centennia.

"Can I stay outside…with you?" he asked, putting one hand on her warm hood. There was an underlying worry and suspicion in his voice, one that didn't need to be said but felt. Centennia knew that Max was always afraid of losing another family member, even if that family member wasn't human, having suffered through seeing his father's death so close at hand. She opened her driver's side door and shifted so that her carriage did a soft jerking motion.

"You may Max, but when your mother says to eat, you have to go in, alright?" Centennia allowed with a bit of amusement in her voice. He beamed and scurried in, sitting sideways so that he could watch the sunset, Centennia having to leave the door open while he did so. The sky was washed with dashes of orange, pink, and dark blue as the sun began to leave to make way for the moon, Max describing it in detail and quite vividly to Centennia as she listened to him. She would have smiled if she was in her automaton form; his aspiring visions to one day become an artist very heartwarming to her and again hoped that the Lavenders would soon no longer be persecuted…

**[DECEPTICON ARCHIVES]**

"And anything else, Soundwave?" Starscream asked, having confirmed the order not to kill the female Autobot…yet. The non-speaking Decepticon switched feeds and played a different sound, something that made Starscream's optics widen.

"_Not likely…was this your comrade's?_" Soundwave played, a cool female voice echoing from his audio banks, "_A pity…I believe that there's a second option._"

"So she's surfaced again…what has it been, three years?" Starscream made a smirk at the find, "Where was that taken?" The words 'Jasper, Nevada' showed in Cybertronian across Soundwave's face plate, Starscream putting a claw to his chin as he turned away from Soundwave in contemplation.

"Hmmm…" he rumbled in a sinister dark way, "That's not far from here…" Starscream turned to face Soundwave again, extending a claw to him.

"I change my mind. Send two of our Vehicons to find her," Soundwave nodded and was about to leave when Starscream clanked his fingers together to get his attention, "And if they just happen to find that 'Arcee' on the way…put her out of her misery..." He gave a menacing grin at Soundwave as if the faceless Decepticon got the joke, clenching his claw into a tight fist.

"_Permanently._"

**[AUTOBOT RECORDS]**

"Arcee…" Optimus Prime watched as his only female subordinate walked away from Cliffjumper's horn, her form rigid and pained from his standpoint. They were going to bury that horn in a pile of rocks, the ground too hard for even a proper burial, and Arcee just couldn't stand it.

"If Cliff's gone, standing around here sulking won't bring him back," she coldly responded, though there was a hint of agony in her tone, "So if anyone minds, think I'll get back to '_protecting'_ human kind." She wouldn't apologize for the loathing sound when referring to the humans, seeing as how they'd never helped the Autobots in the first place. Arcee started driving off towards Jasper, her own agenda clear as she pulled up the Energon scanner she had borrowed from Ratchet earlier. There was a very weak Energon signature that didn't match Decepticon or Autobot frequencies, making it hard for her to believe that the stranger hadn't been a Decepticon. However, it didn't matter. Even if that femm wasn't the cause of Cliff's off-lining, there had to be a reason why she was there, and if she was there when Cliff was encountering the enemy…she better have a damn good explanation as to why she didn't help her fellow Autobot partner.

"Cliffjumper…" she murmured as she turned on her hologram, veering through Jasper as she started moving towards her target. Arcee neared her destination when she noticed two Decepticons right on her tail.

"Twins," she distastefully spat out and drove into the KO Drive-In parking lot, watching as they drove past and turning off her hologram as she breathed a bit easier. Then, she heard a gasp and swiveled her mirrors to see a small red-headed boy stare flabbergasted at her.

"…Scrap," she muttered quietly as she tried to think of a way to dissuade the child without scaring him when she saw the white beat-up Chevrolet that had escaped earlier, turning her body at her, "You…it's _you_, isn't it?" She didn't really wait for an answer as she saw blue Energon dripping from the front of her undercarriage, ready to get some answers when the boy stepped forward and held his arms out, as if trying to protect the renegade female automaton.

"Don't hurt, Centennia," he firmly told Arcee, putting on a brave face, "She didn't hurt anyone!"

…Well, that was a surprise. The boy knew of their existence? Moreover, he was friends with her?

"Max, stand down," the white car advised in a strong tone, presumably this 'Centennia' he spoke of, "This isn't your fight."

"It's going to take you away…" he started to cry, causing Arcee's regulators to squirm. Humans spilling fluids from their eyes never did sit well with her.

"She won't," Centennia reassured him, but the door to the establishment suddenly swung open and she became silent, as did Arcee, even though she was ready to pounce on the Chevrolet. A young black-haired boy came out and stared at the crying red-headed Max, crying with every once within him despite the quiet that came over the two other combatants. At first, he seemed to come over, but his phone rang, causing him to wait a few minutes while telling the other side to call back later.

"Whoa, hey kid, what're you crying about?" he asked after shutting the phone, Max looking at him with tears still flowing from his eyes.

"M-Moto…Motooo…" he tried to say, but the poor red-head was crying too hard as the black-haired male turned around to look at Arcee. Needless to say, the older boy became enamored with the bike and forgot about Max for a second, Centennia shifting her car door somewhat to see if she could get Max's attention to get back inside. However, another pair of humans came, this time two girls who seemed to not be all that friendly with the older human boy. Arcee, barely impressed by his talk in front of them, suddenly noticed that the pair of Decepticons that had been following her earlier had returned, willing the boy now known as "Jack Darby" to hurry up.

'Come on smooth operator, wrap it up,' she thought, her mirrors glancing from Jack to the enemy Vehicons when she looked over at Centennia instead. Due to the three older humans, the white Chevrolet was effectively trapped, but by the way her car door jittered almost uncontrollably it seemed that she was in a bind. Arcee analyzed the situation quickly, but carefully, looking closely at her options. She could just transform right there, although it would be breaking protocol, and battle the metal behemoths. This would cause the Centennia femm, however, to make a break for it while she fought the others. Another viable solution would be to sacrifice the white vehicle to the Decepticons, but it would still result in Centennia being taken away and not answering Arcee's questions. Last, but not least, act as a decoy and lure the Vehicons to a deserted area for a battle while simultaneously protecting the humans. She would have groaned if it weren't for the damn humans who were still conversing as if their lives weren't in danger, which they were, and glanced at Centennia with her mirrors. The best would be the third door, but it was also the greatest guarantee that the white machine would run away by the time she was finished with her plan.

'Scrap,' she mentally cursed as the Decepticons suddenly pulled their high beams on them, everyone flinching at the bright light. Even Max stopped crying to turn away from their focused gaze, having brought his arms up to protect himself from the blinding white. Arcee had to make a decision…and she suddenly revved up as the Decepticons rushed at her, brushing past them and luring both of them away much to her own disgust and annoyance. Her chance to discover what had happened to Cliffjumper…gone.

**[**_**Centennia Logs**_**]**

"…Centennia," Max breathed as he watched the blue and pink motorcycle lead the two purple vehicles away, "She helped us!" Centennia herself was in disbelief that there was a bot that would do such a thing, considering what she had seen before of others, but she had to admit that, when in a bind, the angry female machine had aided her in becoming a distraction. And even more surprising, it confirmed her suspicion that there were now two very clearly separate factions of these automaton beings that resided here on Earth.

"And for that, we are grateful," Centennia acknowledged, "Now we must hurry before they come back, Max." She was about to honk her horn when Max jumped into her driver's seat and shut the door hard, causing her to wince unseen in slight pain.

"We have to help her now!" he demanded, putting his seat belt on and crossing his arms in a defiant manner, "She's a good robot! We gotta help her!" Centennia didn't know what to say to the stubborn boy and raised the seat a bit so that he could see over the driving wheel, moving her rear-view mirror to look at him.

"Max…we can't save everyone," she began, but Max just grabbed the steering wheel and did his best to give an intimidating glare, though it was more like an angry pout.

"She's like you, Centennia…like you…" tears started welling up in Max's baby blue eyes and she sighed, trying to determine a proper response to him. It was almost impossible to argue against the 10-year-old, taught to never ignore a good deed done. Moreover, Centennia concurred that the female motorcycle had indeed just helped them out just now, making sure that Max and the rest of the humans were safe except for the unfortunate Jack Darby that had remained on the motorcycle's seat.

"…Then I've no time lose," she agreed with him in a subdued tone, opening her door again, "Stay here with your mother and sister-"

"No, I wanna go with you!" Max gripped her steering wheel harder and refused, shaking his head, "I'm helping, too!"

"Max, that was not a request," she firmly stated, her seat suddenly going sideways, "This is an order, to keep you safe."

"_Please…?_" he asked in an oh-so-special voice, hanging onto the seat for dear life as she tried to force him out gently, "If she's a good robot, I want to thank her…"

"…Then you must hide when I tell you to hide," she gave in, shifting her seat back to normal and buckling the seat belt around him tightly, "Is that understood, Max?" He nodded and braced himself as she started her engine and revved, reversing harshly and driving off towards the plumes of smoke that started dotting the sky and the sounds of battle…

**[AUTOBOT RECORDS]**

"THIS-IS-FOR-CLIFF!" Arcee yelled as she punched the Decepticon with no remorse. She was upset…to say the least, having to put off the answers she was looking for due to their interference and now might never know. Arcee thought that she had had enough of her comrades dying, but Cliff's death she took personally. He was her partner, her companion…a dear friend and practically family. She was broken out of her reverie when the Decepticon, which was stronger than it looked, merely looked back at her as if to say, 'this is all you got?'

'Scrap,' she cursed mentally and back-flipped away from them, only to be shot in the chest and downing her. Bumblebee soon came to her rescue however and he drove off the side of the bridge, landing heavily to protect Arcee while she tried to recuperate, driving them away with hard punches. She had noticed that there were now two humans standing off to the side in the concrete trench, again uttering a list of mental curses towards her situation. Then, Bumblebee himself was shot down, Arcee holding her head as she tried to get her bearings, and just when she thought they were going to shoot his head off, something unexpected happened…

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" the younger of the two boys shouted, causing the Decepticons to turn suddenly towards him, "…Please?"

"Bad call," Jack Darby commented as he bent over the glasses-wearing boy, watching as one of the Decepticons went to terminate them. Arcee shook her head, still getting over the effects of the Energon shot when a roaring sound was heard and the white Chevrolet that she had thought had taken off veered down the side of the gully, transforming down the slope with the red-headed boy in one hand. Centennia ran as her battle mask sprang up and yelled as she jumped, extending one foot to crash onto the Decepticon's face, smashing into the floor while she used her free hand to grab one of the two poles that sprouted from her back. When pulled out, the knife-like weapon suddenly extended to form a pure white whip that was scorched with black and had blue staining all over it from usage.

"Max," Arcee heard her say as the white automaton put her boy down, "Guide the others to the drain pipe to the right and don't come out until I say so, all right?" He nodded to her and grabbed the glasses-wearing boy's hand, who in turn grabbed Jack's hand, making a train towards the pipe that she had described. Meanwhile, the Decepticon who was guarding Bumblebee kept his weapon trained on the yellow bot, but focused his gaze on Centennia, regarding her as the more dangerous opponent.

"You should be running," Centennia warned in a low serious tone, her other hand now free and gripping the second handle, bringing both whips out as she snapped them. The Decepticon then pointed his weapon at her finally and Bumblebee took advantage of the distraction immediately, slamming a fist into the Decepticon's knee to cripple it, then hooking a leg over it and dragging it head-first onto the concrete with a tug of his foot.

"…Excellent use of a distraction," the white femm commented, Bumblebee looking at her in surprise before bashfully rubbing the back of his head. Suddenly, the Decepticon Centennia had disabled earlier came back on and she snapped her whips again, quickly bringing them up to twirl and spin rapidly, much like a helicopter rotor, to the point where it started cutting the concrete as she brought them in front of her like a shield. The Decepticon started backing away as it shot her, the Energon blasts bouncing off of her whips like they were nothing. Then, Centennia, fast as lightning, lashed out with one of her whips at the Decepticon, quickly bringing it back to spin in front of her as a shield. However, the danger passed as the Decepticon stopped firing, holding still for a moment before its top half separated from its lower half, having been cut in two by her whip. The other Decepticon and Bumblebee stared at Centennia's victim, the mysterious automaton slowing her whips as she looked back at them, optics narrowed.

"Again…you should be _running_," her optics flared at the last Decepticon and it backed away, immediately high-tailing it out of there as it transformed back into its vehicular mode. Just as it was driving away, Bulkhead came finally and Arcee helped Bumblebee up from the ground, all three of them standing in a wary battle stance while they watched her.

"…What happened here?" Bulkhead asked, his optics scanning the corpse of the Decepticon near Centennia's feet. The white female machine had been watching the Decepticon drive off before looking back at the Autobots, white optics almost glaringly bright as she stared right back at them.

"…" Centennia was quiet for a while, the three of them staring down the foreign female, "We are even now." Arcee's optics widened, then narrowed in confusion for a bit.

"What do you mean, 'even'?" Arcee asked, guns still readied on the machine should she become violent or aggressive.

"…Back at the Drive-In," Centennia elaborated, her whips shrinking back into their original form to be put back, "You could have dragged me and the boy into the battle, but you didn't. This is my way of repaying you." She must not have felt threatened if she was putting her weapons away, Arcee mused, her two male comrades doing the same. The motorcycle Autobot almost groaned as she too followed in suit, feeling unnerved by not being armed against the strange white femm. After all, she had just sliced one of the Decepticons in half with a mere swing of her arm…

"Max," Centennia called softly, the young red-headed boy Arcee had seen earlier jogging over to her, "Is there something you'd like to say to her?" She brought her hand in a sweeping motion to gesture towards Arcee, the pink and blue femm taken aback by her words. The boy came to hide behind Centennia's leg for a moment before peeking out at her, his courage from before seeming to have run out.

"…T-Thank you," he told her, Arcee blinking in surprise, "…You're a good robot, right?" Centennia bent down and petted the human's head gently, smiling fondly at the boy before looking at Arcee expectantly for an answer.

"…Yeah, we're the good guys," Arcee responded awkwardly and he grinned up at her toothily, showing that there was a sizable gap in his front teeth. Centennia nodded to Arcee before standing up and transforming, opening her door to Max and closing it.

"_Our debt has been paid,_" Centennia spoke through her speakers at them before turning towards the roads, "_We will be leaving now_."

"Wait, wait!" Arcee approached the Chevrolet with an outreached hand, "What happened to Cliffjumper?" The white car almost drove off, but stopped at Arcee's pleas, turning back towards her.

"_…The red one?_" she queried, Arcee nodding in confirmation, "_He…was outnumbered and overpowered. After the explosion of those blue crystals, I lost track of him, but he was not there when that ship departed._" Arcee had a feeling that they had taken Cliffjumper, but she angrily growled at Centennia as she realized an important part in her story.

"And why didn't you _help_ him?" she accused, Centennia staying quiet for a moment.

"_My friends were in danger…if I had the choice, I would have perhaps aided him, given that you are not my enemies_…" the white automaton responded, further angering Arcee.

"There's _always_ a choice!" she retorted, but Bulkhead held her back, Bumblebee doing the same, "You could have saved him! Why didn't you save him?"

"…Cliffjumper was…Arcee's partner," Bulkhead explained, Arcee trying to pull away from the two, "And a good friend." Suddenly, there was a beeping noise and Bulkhead touched one finger to his comm-link.

"Understood," he glanced at the white Chevrolet that still had its engine running, "And what about the white femm? She's here right now…do we bring her in?" With that, Centennia started reversing, away from them.

"Don't you dare run away, you coward!" Arcee shouted at Centennia, the white Chevrolet screeching to a halt, but not of fear it seemed…

"_…Do not mistake my inability to aid your friend as __**cowardice**__, Miss 'Arcee'_," Centennia replied in a cool tone, her lights turning on to glare at the motorcycle Autobot, "_I did what was necessary to keep the ones I cared about safe. When you have a comrade of your own that is as fragile as that of a human, you will understand my actions one day._"

…The **IMPUDENCE**! Understand? Lecturing her like a sparkling? Arcee had been protecting human kind since her arrival to Earth, along with her and her Autobot family!

"You and me…we're going to settle this one day, I swear it," Arcee narrowed her optics at Centennia and the white femm's lights glowed brighter in response.

"_…Then I look forward to that day, Arcee_," the white automaton replied, roaring as she started to drive off, but by then, the two other Autobots had circled around her, "_What…when did you two…?_"

"Femm-fights…always nasty, inside and out," Bulkhead chuckled, his arms raised to catch her if she tried to escape, "And our boss says he wants to meet you. We're not going to hurt you, just talk." Centennia started reversing slowly towards Arcee, the pink and blue motorcycle automaton mimicking the others as she braced herself for what would seem like a quick getaway. They wouldn't be able to just shoot at her randomly, Arcee realized, considering the human boy's safety, but they could at least grapple the Chevrolet into submission at least.

"_I apologize, but my human family's safety is more important than our negotiations,_" she excused herself as she suddenly reversed at full speed and swerved to take out Arcee's leg, causing Arcee to pitch forward, "_If I do decide that our alliance may be in the best interest of my friends, then we may meet yet again, here. Tomorrow at dawn._" After giving her message, Centennia drove off and sped away, Arcee and the others ready to chase her when Ratchet yet again chimed in.

"**Don't waste the Energon**_,_" Ratchet advised over the comm-link to the others, huffing tiredly, "**She still hasn't patched herself up…and if she holds true to her word, then we can expect she'll be returning to that same place. We have more urgent matters at hand.**"

"Like what?" Arcee quizzically asked, raising a delicate eyebrow ridge as she put her hand to her head to respond.

"**Such as giving a full report on why humans were involved…?**" Ratchet reminded her in a stern voice, Arcee pulling her hand away and sighing.

"Fine…open the ground bridge for us Ratchet, we're coming home."

**[DECEPTICON ARCHIVES]**

"You _FAILED_?" Starscream screeched at the remaining Decepticon of the pair that had gone down to search, the henchman backing away from Starscream's outburst before the commander turned away and clenched his fist in anger, "_Ghhh…_never send a _Vehicon_ to do a _Seeker's_ job…" He looked back at the 'con before waving his hands, the Vehicon scurrying away quickly to redeem himself in his work.

"…Soundwave, is she still here?" Starscream asked as he turned back, the silent Decepticon bringing up another audio feed to play.

"_If I do decide that our alliance may be in the best interest of my friends, then we may meet yet again, here. Tomorrow at dawn,_" he played, Starscream grimacing at the words.

"Alone, that femm is already troublesome, but to join with the Autobots…" Starscream made an irritated noise and swept his claw to slash through the air, "We can't let that happen!" He contemplated for a moment, optics drawn towards some of his squadron that hadn't left the room yet.

"Perhaps we can convince our old friend of…what is _really_ in the best interest of her human 'friends'," Starscream smirked, reaching his hand towards them, "Follow Soundwave's coordinates and arrive there at the specified times." The Seekers nodded and filed out of the room, Soundwave transmitting them the data necessary to meet the Autobots and Centennia at the right hour. Starscream turned back to look out the massive window of the Decepticon warship, putting his hands behind his back and sneering.

"_Time to show what the consequences are for siding with likes of those Autobot __**scum**__._"

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><p>chiv-id: AND IT'S DONE. Whoo, longer chapter than the first two, so I hoped you guys liked it. I have to say, I really am impressed with this series. The graphics are pretty banging if you ignore the humans (particularly Jack Darby) and the storyline sucks you in...like My Little Pony, ROFLMAO. But really, awesome series, please watch it if you haven't because this fic HEAVILY relies on if you've seen the series or not. If you haven't, then everything just kind of sounds like one confusing blob of words. And don't forget, <strong><em>READ AND REVIEW PEOPLE, READ AND REVIEW!<em>**


	5. Where Loyalties Lie

chiv-id: OMG, two chapters in one day? And they're not particularly short either...Jesus, I just love this series way too much obviously. And again, I'm having some concerns that I might be moving too rushed through the chapters...not episode-wise, but like the writing just seems rushed. If any of you guys agree, please put it in a review or PM me about it because I'm trying to fix that! All right, now without further ado: the next chapter!

Disclaimer: Hasbro owns Transformers, not me. I just own the Lavenders and Centennia.

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><p>A Fated Exchange<p>

Chapter 3: Where Loyalties Lie

**[Centennia Logs]**

"I cannot _believe_ you took him out there without my consent, Centennia!" Marleen fumed, Max firmly gripped in her arms while the little tyke struggled, Centennia's form crouched to confront the angry mother.

"I'm sorry, Marleen," she apologized, head bowed as she closed her optics. Upon returning to the KO Drive-In, Centennia had learned that the red-headed woman had been frantic and practically panicked when she found that her son and Centennia were nowhere to be found. When they'd met up again, Marleen was furiously raging on the inside as she got inside and ordered Max and Ally to get in the backseat, Centennia driving them off to a secluded inn on the opposite side of Jasper. Nobody asked questions and it had an indoor area large enough where Centennia could transform without anyone noticing. When Marleen finally began to speak about the incident, Max himself was grounded until he was 20, but it was light considering the nearly 2-hour rant that Marleen was giving her, Centennia just allowing her to vent.

"I mean…my God, what were you _thinking_?" Marleen exasperatedly pushed out, eyebrows pinched together as she finally became exhausted, "…He could have died, Centennia. He's so small…"

"I'm not _that_ small, Ma," Max retorted, finally kicking his way out of her grasp to hug Centennia's face, "And I asked her to take me, so it's not her fault!"

"Max, go sit with your sister and watch TV," Marleen sternly told him, eyes locked on Centennia once more as the boy reluctantly let go and ran over to watch some SpongeBob. When he was a far enough distance away, she spoke in a harsh and serious tone. And here it comes, Centennia thought, having remembered the slight vein throbbing on her forehead when she told Marleen that she was to meet with the strange group of bots at dawn tomorrow.

"You said that you were going to protect this family, no matter what," she whispered, getting close to Centennia's face and causing the automaton to back up somewhat, "That they would be safe from harm. Bringing Max along on a joy ride to fight those…_things_ was wrong and irresponsible!" Centennia reeled somewhat, her white optics going wide at Marleen's statement, even Marleen putting a hand over her own mouth. The female alien being looked away, mouth forming a thin line as she pushed away the offended feeling…after all, wasn't she just another one of those…things, too?

"…I'm sorry," Marleen apologized, bringing her hand away from her mouth as she glanced over her shoulder, seeing the kids looking at them, "Centennia…I understand that you want to find more about yourself and where you came from. I really can. Not knowing who you are for a century…the only ones who can help you always attacking you…it's hard." The white Chevrolet transformer looked down, her expression drawn and pensive. It was true…despite trying to be responsible and mature enough to push it away, she still sought answers to existence. Who was she really? And in what manner of being was she? Did her kind constantly fight each other like they did today, or were they once peaceful? So many questions she had, yet no one could answer them, and she had no way of finding them.

"However, you need to figure out where your loyalties lie," Marleen harshly brought Centennia from her reverie as she pushed a finger in her face, "With _them_…or with _us_. You want answers, fine, but not at the cost of my family. We're leaving by daybreak tomorrow, and we can always just hotwire another car for the time being." The last remaining adult of the Lavender family coldly turned and walked away, Centennia resting on her laurels as she thought long and hard about her decision. She would protect the Lavenders, whether they wanted her protection or not…but to have Marleen and the kids sever ties with her was something that Centennia wasn't sure she could live with. For all the time that she had spent on Earth was always with the Lavender family, since the very first Lavender she'd met in those woods in Bareview, New York. They treated her like a person, rather than some freak monster wreck that she was, and accepted her as she was. And now, for the first time, she was pitting her bonds against her desire to find answers, two things she had kept separately from each other until now.

'Oh Holly…would you ever ask me to choose between protecting you and finding the truth?' Centennia wondered, transforming back into her vehicular form as she powered down for a stasis nap. She would not ever abandon her charges, of that she was certain…but this could be her one chance to discover some answers for herself, even if she was only grasping at straws…

**[AUTOBOT RECORDS]**

"…She's not going to show," Arcee had her arms crossed and was staring down the concrete trench, narrowing her eyes as the sun began to creep its way towards the sky, "She lied to us. This might even be a trap." Bumblebee, who was waiting with her, buzzed and beeped a series of words that were unintelligible to humans, Arcee sighing. The three of them had been assigned to meet the enigmatic 'Centennia' and negotiate at dawn, as promised, but Arcee was having her doubts.

"I know what Optimus said, but-"

"_Bazzzttt beep zzzztttt!_"

"You're just saying that because she complimented your take-down."

"_Brrrzzztt bbb-brrrrrrtttt…_"

"Yeah, that's what I thought," Arcee replied with a hint of amusement and superiority, Bulkhead chuckling, "And what about you? What do you think?"

"Me? I think she's gonna come," Bulkhead got up off of his aft, dusting his backside as he walked over to join them, "She tried to talk to us last time, so maybe she'll do it again." Arcee scoffed and uncrossed her arms, taking shelter under the overpass above.

"Well, don't get your hopes up, she could just be a Decepticon underling for all we know," the blue and pink femm narrowed her eyes as she sat down, drawing her left-hand guns out, "And if she is, we need to be ready."

"Hey, I didn't see a single Decepticon symbol on her anywhere," Bulkhead retorted, Bumblebee nodding and buzzing in agreement when Arcee raised an eyebrow ridge and gave a skeptical look.

"'Anywhere'? Where were you two looking?" she asked, which made Bulkhead shut up and Bumblebee to go stock still before turning away and scratching the back of his head again, "Great demonstration of proper conduct, you two." Both of the male Autobots hadn't seen another female besides Arcee in a long while, so it obviously piqued their interest when she gave them a good look at her the day before.

"_Bazzztt beep beep zzzrrrtttt…_" the black and yellow muscle car tapped his fingers together as he turned to look at Arcee again, "_Bztt bzzzz zzzrrr zztttt…_"

"I agree…she looks like she hasn't had a real Energon fuel-up in years, which…isn't possible," she mused, optics still searching for her, "And did you see those amateur repairs?"

"Maybe that's why she's willing to talk to us," Bulkhead offered, holding his hands out to shrug, "She needs supplies…and a good medical check. Badly."

"Whatever it is she wants, the information she's going to give us better be worth it," Arcee ground out, clenching her fist as she looked at it. However, just as they were done guessing about the mysterious white automaton, a humming sound resounded over the quiet town of Jasper, causing the Autobots to draw their weapons and point them skyward.

"What did I tell you? A _trap_," Arcee muttered with slight indignation and almost expectant disappointment, seeing a series of Decepticon Seekers suddenly swarm into view as they surrounded them. Bumblebee gave off some worried clicks and whirrs, Bulkhead nodding in agreement.

"It doesn't matter, we'll find her later," Bulkhead switched his blasters out with wrecking balls, getting ready, "Right now…we kick some Decepticon aft! _RRRWAAAAAAAHHHHH!_" With that, he charged towards a cluster of the Seekers, leading with his wrecking ball fist as the others did the same…

_**[Centennia Logs]**_

"…Centenniaaaaa…Centenniaaaaa…wake up, sleepy head," Ally slapped her palms on Centennia's hood with a bit of force, causing the automaton to turn back on and stare at Ally with a confused air.

"We're heading out, Centennia," Marleen was by her driver's side door, leaning against it, "Glad to see you made the right choice. Come on, we have a lot of ground to cover if we're crossing state lines." She opened Centennia's door and slid in, the kids heading towards the back to get in. For a while, the white automaton was quiet, still wondering if this was the right choice…because while she could never live without the Lavenders anymore, could she live with never learning her origins or true name?

"Centennia? Hey, you're blanking out on us," Marleen tapped the wheel and Centennia refocused on the task at hand, starting her engine and driving out of the dreary secluded motel they had shacked up in at night. She knew she had to pass the concrete trench to get to the other side of town, but she didn't fear them, knowing that they were at least pro-human, unlike the other bots.

"Ma…there's smoke coming from that side," Max tapped on Centennia's window and her mirrors shifted to look at the new plumes of smoke, catching her interest.

"That's not our problem anymore," Marleen reminded Centennia and Max both before Ally looked at her mother with an upset face, "What is it, Ally?"

"Why can't Centennia go see her friends?" the 10-year-old asked, her face contorted with confusion and frustration, "It's not fair!"

"They're not her friends, Ally!" Marleen's frustration grew with her children's protests and she had snapped at Ally, but quickly apologized as she massaged her temples, "I am sorry, but we have to stay alive and survive…that won't happen if we don't stay away from them." For a while, the twins stayed silent and Marleen sighed, sinking into the driver's seat with relief that they were finally speechless. Then, an explosion was heard and Centennia stopped in her tracks, just parallel to where all the action was happening, the twins crowding the closest window to stare. Then, the twins starting to cry simultaneously as pained bellows and the crunching of metal became audible, something not even Marleen couldn't ignore it.

"…I can't leave them Marleen," Centennia moved her rear-view mirror to look at her eldest charge, "This has to be my fault…because I told them to meet there today…I'll drop you and the kids off at the car dealership and you can hotwire a car. I just…I can't leave them, Marleen." The older woman was startled by Centennia's frank confession and for a while, she stayed there, listening to their battle before she sighed.

"God, even I have a heart," Marleen unhooked her seat belt and went to go take the kids out of Centennia, "We'll hide somewhere over here while you go help them. And you better come back, do you hear me?" Despite Centennia obviously being the older one, Marleen acted more like the matriarch of their small strange family.

"Thank you, Marleen," Centennia spoke softly, closing her doors automatically once they had evacuated, "And I will come back for you. I won't abandon you." Marleen touched Centennia's hood gently and the white Chevrolet could see tears brimming in Marleen's eyes.

"I know…now go, Centennia. Go!" Marleen turned away and rushed her kids to a nearby lot, Centennia shifting gears and now drove straight for the battle. It worried her when she neared the concrete trench, hearing some quiet now and saw that, as she stopped at the edge of the trench, the three odd-colored bots had been taken down by the purple machines.

"Get off of me!" Centennia spotted the very vocal Arcee pinned by a couple of the enemies, a cannon pointed right at her head, "I can take you all on!" The small black and yellow robot and the large green one were struggling in a similar manner, though it notably took more of them than it had with Arcee to keep them trapped.

"I'll ask you one more time," one of the bots grabbed the small robot's head and wrenched it up, the poor machine whirring in pain, "Where is the white femm? The one who wields the whips called Centennia? If you don't give me an answer, I'll have you off-lined here and now!" Centennia quietly drove backwards for a minute before she punched it, her tires screeching and gaining the violet-colored bots' attention as she roared towards them.

"I'm right…**HERE!**" she gave a fierce battle cry and transformed, drawing her whips as she ran. Before they could train their sights on her, she pulled one arm back and suddenly twisted her body violently, creating a momentum that sliced through the first line of enemies, most of them falling back and falling apart afterwards. Centennia then created a shield around her as she again whirled her whips, first heading towards the largest of the group as she dodged and deflected.

"Stay still!" she ordered, the green automaton stilling his movements as she finally stopped the twirling of her whips to instead wrap the ends around some of the enemy robots' necks, dragging them off and using them to her advantage as her entire body started to rotate. Using the weight and speed, she lifted her whips off of them and they crashed into the ones that were covering the black and yellow bot and Arcee. While the flying squadron got its bearings, Arcee and her two companions regrouped and approached Centennia quickly.

"Are you three all right?" Centennia asked as she watched the squadron get up, getting in front of the three ragged robots, "I'll hold them off while you escape."

"Why should we trust you? We waited for you and it turned out to be a trap!" Arcee argued angrily, grabbing Centennia by her shoulder and turning her around so that she could face them.

"I apologize…they have been after my human charges for a long time…" Centennia tiredly glancing at them as she let her battle mask fall, her energy having been drained from just that small battle, another reason why she usually ran instead of fought, "I did not mean to lead them to you, but if you need to flee, now would be the most opportune time." The three of them looked between each other before looking back at Centennia.

"You thought…they were after you?" the large green one asked in a deep rich voice, showing that this one was male. The black and yellow bot buzzed out a few words, but to Centennia, she couldn't quite make them out, relying on Arcee for translation.

"He says that you're not the only one who's being hunted by the Decepticons," the blue and pink femm remarked, before turning her attention to the purple robots, now known as Decepticons, that had gotten back up after Centennia's initial surprise attack.

"We'll get Ratchet to explain it to you, but you have stick around this time," the green machine spoke, crouching down and readying his blasters. Centennia watched as Arcee and the black and yellow automaton followed in suit, pulling out their own cannons and guns while the Decepticons, now wary of Centennia, watched on.

"Understood," her battle mask slid back on, turning to face the 'Cons again as she readied her whips, "Prepare yourselves…this may get _ugly_…"

**[Marleen's Diary]**

"…Mama, do you think Centennia's going to be OK?" Ally asked, hugging Marleen as they waited on the steps of a currently closed restaurant, the mother hugging her two children dearly.

"Of course she is!" Max retorted, raisings his fists and punching the air as if fighting an invisible foe, "She's the toughest bot we know! She can take down a hundred of 'em!" While Marleen smiled at Max and Ally reassuringly, she alone knew the truth: Centennia's condition was deteriorating steadily, even more so in the last few years. The solar array that Centennia was using to keep her alive was still intact, but it was practically obsolete and on the verge of a complete breakdown, steadily becoming less and less efficient at gathering the sun's energy and converting it into energy Centennia could use. They could now only travel a hundred or so miles at a time because that was all the energy Centennia could garner, having to stop due to sheer exhaustion and running on fumes. While she pushed herself to keep up appearances, Centennia was slowly losing the war against energy deprivation, and not even normal fuel sources such as oil were working.

"She'll be fine," she whispered more to herself than for her children to hear, hoping that Centennia would walk out of this fight without much damage. This was also an important factor, seeing as how their makeshift repairs to her armor were barely holding, Centennia still growing weaker and weaker with each day that passed. Marleen had been so harsh on Centennia earlier for talking to the other robots not because she didn't approve, but because she sincerely wanted to avoid a fight. Centennia would most likely not even have the proper amount of energy to hold out in a long battle, and what Marleen feared most was that Centennia would fall into a deep slumber that she would never awake from again…

"Ma, the fighting stopped," Max reported, holding a hand on his forehead to block the sun that was shining over the horizon to blind him, "I think it's over…"

**[AUTOBOT RECORDS]**

"That's right, get out of here!" Bulkhead waved his wrecking ball fist at the remaining Decepticon Seekers that had flown off, the rest of their comrades strewn about the concrete trench. The large green ATV turned back to his crew and raised his arms triumphantly, laughing.

"And that's how it's done!" he high-fived Bumblebee in celebration, earning a disapproving look from Arcee that he chose to ignore as he went to Centennia's side, "Now, can we finally get that…? Hey, you don't look so good…" Centennia's optics were dimly lit and they flickered on and off, her body swaying and appearing as though a stiff breeze could blow her over. While she had performed marvelously and had in fact disabled quite a few of the Decepticon squadron's numbers, Centennia now almost looked near death.

"…Centennia?" he reached out and touched her shoulder, startled when Centennia collapsed and grabbed her before she could fall to the ground, "Centennia! Hey, wake up!" Her optics, which had closed when she fell, opened bleakly and she weakly moved her mouth, whispering.

"My family…they're…a few hundred yards in town," Centennia told him as the others crowded around Bulkhead and the downed automaton, her words pained and tired, "Please…help them." With those final words, she closed her optics and became unresponsive to Bulkhead's words and shaking. Arcee put a hand on Bumblebee's shoulder and jerked her head towards the middle of town, the scout nodding as he ran off to search for the Lavenders while Arcee felt Centennia's chest plates. She could feel the barely beating spark, surmising that Centennia had entered a near-death stasis mode and, in understanding the seriousness of the situation, pressed her fingers to her comm-link.

"Ratchet, we need a ground-bridge, stat!" Arcee informed the medic, putting a hand to Centennia's face and feeling the metal that was eerily cold, "And prepare the med-bay! Our 'friend' is in pretty bad shape..."

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><p>chiv-id: ANOTHER CHAPTER DONE! ACHIEVEMENT! *throws confetti* LULZ, anywho, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! I thought it explained a bunch of things that might have had people confused in the previous chapters, so I'm kind of happy with this one. GAH, LOVE TRANSFORMERS: PRIME! Especially Optimus Prime and Ratchet. Those two guys are like TIED in my book. In fact...I might make it a RatchetXOCXOptimus if I can work out the storyline. Or maybe it'll just be Ratchet since there's actually going to be way too much romance stuff if I make it RXOCXOP. Let me know what you guys think! <strong>REVIEW PEOPLE, I'M NOT GETTING ENOUGH REVIEWS!<strong>


	6. Through a Child's Eyes

chiv-id: My God, this chapter sucked the life out of me. I mean, I haven't even gotten past the first episode yet in the MINISERIES. *flips a table* Anywho, just a heads-up, I mentioned this in the last chapter, but I was thinking about whether to keep the fic OPXOC or RXOC, Optimus or Ratchet. SO, I HAVE A POLL UP ON MY PROFILE NOW, GO TAKE A LOOK AFTER THIS! This story can still go either way at this point, I think, so please go vote! *wipes forehead* Anyway, here's the next chapter, finally!

Disclaimer: Hasbro owns Transformers, I own Marleen, Max, Ally, and Centennia.

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><p>A Fated Exchange<p>

Chapter 4: Through A Child's Eyes

**[AUTOBOT RECORDS]**

"What is the prognosis, Ratchet?" Optimus Prime asked, standing by the white femm who was resting on the cold gray metal table that was the standard medical bay 'bed' for the Autobots. It had been only a few minutes since they'd brought her in, Bumblebee having just come in with Centennia's human charges via ground-bridge. Bulkhead and Arcee were resting off to the side, also having several medical procedures being run on their systems from the battle before while they watched on.

"It's more serious than I had anticipated," Ratchet reported gravely, turning his optics away from the computers to look down at Centennia and adjust a hose that was attached to her front, "Her Energon levels are almost…_practically_ nonexistent…and her parts are barely holding together. I don't know how long she's gone without Energon, but she's just short of off-lining for good."

"_Baazztt brrttt vrrrr…_" a disgruntled Bumblebee growled, but Ratchet shook his head and the bot's expression became troubled. Centennia's family was crowding around the bottom of the table and Bumblebee helped them to clamber onto the table, the older female and her children running to Centennia's face to touch it. Optimus noted the sincere sorrow and despair as they watched their Cybertronian friend's face starting to go gunmetal gray.

"No, her condition is a result of poor maintenance and Energon deprivation, for which it could've taken anywhere between a few days to several years to reach this state," Ratchet grabbed another hose and tightened it on her shoulder, "Not from just battling the Decepticons a few minutes ago. I'm also detecting an anomaly in her spark cavity, but I can't perform the procedure until I know the full extent of her deprivation."

"What…is Energon?" asked the older female, her short red hair glinting in the dimly-lit underground area.

"Energon is the essence that we Cybertronians can't live without," Optimus told her, bowing his head to her, "It is our fuel, our life force…and your friend is suffering from the effects of its deprivation."

"…But she's going to be OK, right?" the male child stepped away from Centennia, eyes glistening with tears, "Centennia's gonna be fine…right?" Optimus looked up from the boy to Ratchet who, at first, made a pensive face before closing his eyes, shaking his head.

"…We…do not know," Prime admitted in an apologetic tone, the red-headed youth breathing in sharply before a small sob rose from him and he turned back to Centennia, hugging her face. His sister, presumably, did the same and cried with him, their mother trying to comfort them and keep them quiet. Ratchet glanced down at them for a moment before looking back at Optimus and motioning with his hand to go off to the side. Prime followed him and the medic crossed his arms once both of them were at the far end of the cavern.

"…Normally, I wouldn't have any qualms about this, but…" Ratchet glanced over at his operating table, the white femm still deathly still on it, "We don't know where her allegiances lie."

"Your opinion is duly noted, Ratchet," Optimus turned to look at the humans who were gently rocking Centennia's face, trying to get a reaction, "But those humans do not look like terrified slaves of a Decepticon master. This Centennia is not a threat…at least, not a threat to humankind. And if that much is certain, then we have no quarrel with her."

"_Hmmm_…" Ratchet made a tired and pensive growl, "I'll do the best that I can, but with the resources available…"

"Doing the best you can is all that we can ask for, old friend," Optimus nodded to him before they both returned, the humans all huddled together as they mourned their friend's state. The leader of the Autobots turned to his medic, his hand gesturing to the red-headed family to perhaps give them some faith given the current situation.

"She is residing in a reflexive deactivated state at the moment," Ratchet offered as he returned to Centennia's side, though he wasn't usually one to provide hope, and caught their attention, "Her condition may be severe…but there is a slim chance that she'll pull through. You need to tell me what you know about her. It may save her life." The older woman lifted her head from her children's to look at the medical officer, a few tears running down her cheeks as she looked back at Centennia.

"Of…of course," the human woman told Ratchet in a low voice, though it was strained with the sadness that was caught in her throat, "I've got…some records and…and, um, some…" She had to take a small pause as she tried to swallow her sadness, eventually grabbing the satchel she had at her waist and standing up.

"They're…they're diaries and, um…" she sniffed, bringing her arm up to hold against her nose as she calmed herself again, "Photos…pictures of paintings…newspaper clippings…since the centennial of the 18th century, over 100 years ago. They're all about Centennia, passed down from the generations in my family…"

"And how long has it been since she's had any Energon?" Ratchet asked, pressing for more important information at the moment.

"I…I didn't even know what Energon was, I just learned that today," the woman reminded him, Ratchet's optics widening for a moment.

"Has she ever spoken of it?" the medic continued, coming to hover over Centennia as he checked a few more tubes.

"No…in all the time that I've spent with her, she's never mentioned it," the human forgot her tears and looked at Ratchet as if she'd realized something, putting her satchel down and digging through it, "Actually, none of my parents, grandparents, relatives, or pioneering ancestors ever mentioned it. She's…since the day she landed in New York over 100 years ago, I don't think she's ever…"

"Unless she's been in stasis for long periods of time, that's not possible," Ratchet dismissed it firmly, but the way the human female was flipping through books and newspapers…

"If stasis is your way of saying 'sleep', then she goes to sleep at night and wakes up in the day just like the rest of us," the woman looked up at him, face scrunched in confusion, "And there hasn't been a _single_ _entry_ that says she ever took some long break and hankered down…here." She seemed to have found what she was looking for as she dusted off a brown and cracked leather-bound journal, opening it and climbing on top of Centennia's body while doing so.

"My great-grandfather, Harold Lavender, was an inventor," she continued, making her way to Centennia's chest, "In 1953, he created a device that would allow Centennia to siphon off energy from the Sun since oil didn't work and…" Ratchet moved his hands when she got close and the human woman knelt on Centennia's weakly-moving chest, her hand tracing an almost wire-thin etching that ran in the center.

"Usually, Centennia would just open her plates for me, but…" the red-headed woman looked to Ratchet for help and he blinked before shaking his head.

"I'm not opening her up until I have a clear understanding of what we're dealing with," he batted his hand against the air for emphasis, "Energon deprivation and shoddy mechanics aren't the only things that can shut down a Cybertronian."

"Well, if she did have something, wouldn't she have been off-lined already?" the woman asked, "Please, just forgo all of the formalities and help me pry her chest open." Ratchet raised an eye ridge and she firmly stood her ground, eyes narrowing and clenching her fists before she relaxed and gave a pleading look.

"She's been there for me…for my entire family," she looked to her children, the two of them staring back at her, "And now, when she needs my help the most, I…I just don't know what to do…" Ratchet was quiet for a few moments before sighing, waving his hand at the woman as if she were a nuisance, shooing her off Centennia's body.

"Then stand back…" he brought his tools over and lifted Centennia's head carefully, prying off a badly-attached plate from the back of her head before he recoiled slightly, "By the Allspark, what…?" He trailed off as he shone a light at the mangled mess of her cortical access point, the metal twisted and bent in odd sorts of angles. It looked as though someone had violently wrenched something inside, Ratchet feeling somewhat disturbed looking at the abused area.

"…Centennia's had that injury since she landed on Earth," the female had circled around to observe what Ratchet was doing, holding up another book, "My ancestor, Holly Lavender, found her like that when she crash-landed in the woods outside Bareview."

"Hmmm…I'll see what I can do after I stabilize her condition," Ratchet murmured before setting her head back down and grabbing a pair of large pliers, "For now, I must open her manually." The medic set to work as everyone else watched him work, the human woman and her children huddling over to a corner of the table where they wouldn't be in the way. Once he had forced his way into her chest cavity, Ratchet was further surprised by what he found, the red-headed woman coming back.

"That's it," she confirmed as she climbed on to look at it. The machine was a series of square, silver mirror-like panels that was hooked into a box, large masses of wires tapped into several circuits, conduits, and nodes throughout her spark chamber and cables. Ratchet touched it lightly before surveying the work that Harold Lavender had done to her.

"This technology is primitive, at best," Ratchet narrowed his optics as he noticed that the machine was corroded with rust and there were several burned-out fuses that peeked through the decaying insulation of the wires, "Although, it's a miracle that it works at all."

"Can you help her?" the woman asked and Ratchet hesitated before breathing in and sighing. Arcee and Bulkhead stood up as they finished their diagnostics, coming over to look at Centennia's body work as if she were a science project. The medic looked at them and put his hand out so that they wouldn't crowd, Optimus motioning to them to come with him as he knew that the doctor preferred doing his work alone. Bumblebee similarly got the message and buzzed a few sounds to the human children, the twins sadly and reluctantly releasing Centennia's face to climb onto his hand.

"…If I can, I must be alone," Ratchet told her, the human woman standing firmly in her place for a few moments, "Bumblebee…" The scout nodded and took the red-headed mother without much warning, but she struggled a bit making him stop to adjust his grip. Ratchet watched her as she glared at him, eventually stopping her squirming to look at him.

"You…what's your name?" she asked quietly, Bumblebee turning to let her face the doctor properly.

"…Ratchet," she mumbled slowly before returning her gaze to him, "I am Marleen Lavender. These are my twins, Ally and Max. And to us, Centennia is the only other family we have. So if _anything_ happens to her…" Ratchet wasn't very impressed with the subtle threat, but when he saw tears trembling in her eyes, he sighed and bowed his head slightly.

"I don't intend to let patients die on my operating table, Ms. Lavender," Ratchet responded to her in a cool tone, optics narrowing, "And I've been under worse conditions. Bumblebee, when you're done, call Optimus back in. I need to discuss with him a few more things before the surgery is underway." Bee gave another trill of confirmation before exiting, heading towards where everyone else was waiting, Ratchet giving a small huff when everyone had finally gone. He admitted to himself that he might've been stretching it when he said he had seen 'worse' conditions, but he merely wanted to placate the human mother from interfering further with this already difficult case. Ratchet prepared everything he needed as he continued to ponder over his newest patient, her appearance just as horrid as her current state.

Mismatched pieces of metal covered her torso and had rust stains that had been scraped off hastily and without much care, similar shabby repairs made to other areas of her body like the back of her head, as he just saw, and her legs. One knee joint had a New Jersey license plate sticking out, something that most likely was accidentally left in her trunk when she transformed, and the leather covering she wore was splattered with all manner of dirt, clay, and soot. The only words that could come to mind when describing her were scuffed, ill-maintained, and just plain dirty. He noted that her chest was perhaps the best well-kept out of all of her parts, if only because it was where the outdated solar array machination was held. Another strange feature about her was that many of her repairs were made not only with different car parts, but car parts from different eras. There seemed to be a 1960s-style radial that stuck out from a shoulder and a semi-broken window on her chest from a classic BMW from the 1940s.

"Ratchet, I assume that something is wrong," Optimus walked in and roused Ratchet from his thoughts, the ambulance transformer looking up from Centennia's form and removing his hands from the table, having been leaning over her the entire time.

"Prime, this is beyond my capabilities," Ratchet informed him immediately, the leader of the Autobots straightening his form at the admission, "The reason for which she is still online is because of that primitive Earth-based machinery…but, it was only meant to last as a secondary-processing system. It draws on her own supply of Energon to convert solar energy into something her damaged body can process, but now that her Energon levels are depleted, she cannot continue the conversion process. I must remove it, but in doing so I _will_ off-line her permanently."

"Is there any way to increase her odds of survival?" Optimus asked seriously, looking over Centennia's wrecked torso.

"If I had better technology, more Energon, and readily available parts," Ratchet gave a stuttering snort of doubt and sarcasm, "However, you can see that even _we_ are hard-pressed for that. We should have told those humans the truth…she will off-line. There is…regrettably, nothing I can do." Optimus was quiet for a moment before looking at where the ground-bridge was set up, his processors thinking.

"While we may not have the technology or Energon," Optimus gestured towards the computers at the coordinates that were still locked in, "We do have parts to work with." Ratchet looked at the coordinates of the concrete trench where all the Decepticon wrecks laid from their previous battle and made an awed face as it dawned on him.

"Wait, Optimus, you're not suggesting-"

"If it raises her chances of survival, then we must do what we can."

"…"

"It is an unprecedented solution, but if we can prevent another death..."

"…I'll…need some time, to dismantle them properly," Ratchet seemed drained from having to even think about it, his hand coming up to his helm, "And of course, we'll need to evacuate the others from the base. I don't want to even think about explaining to them what I'm doing with the Decepticon dead…"

"Understood," Optimus nodded and put his fingers to his comm-link, "_Arcee, Bumblebee, I need you two to locate those two human boys and return them to base. Bulkhead, you are to guard the perimeter until their mission is over._" The three Autobots gave their respective affirmations on their orders and set out to do their duty, walking past the table with side-glances at the hauntingly gun-metal gray color that was creeping over Centennia.

"Oh, and the Lavenders are in the rec room," Arcee mentioned before she switched into vehicular mode, clearly peeved that she had to go back and get the human boy that had escaped before. Optimus watched as the three of them left before turning to Ratchet and nodding, the medic already standing by the ground-bridge controls and switching them on.

"Specifications for what I need are going to be fed to you via scanners," Ratchet explained, holding up a remote control of sorts and pointing it at Optimus' Autobot insignia, the symbol blinking blue in response, "And be careful. The Decepticons might already be on their way to collect their dead." The semi nodded in turn and ran through the green-white portal, Ratchet shaking his head as he rotated to look at Centennia, putting a hand on her table.

"Let's just hope you're worth the trouble…" he muttered, preparing more tools for the disassembly that was going to take place.

**[Marleen's Diary]**

"Max, Ally, everything's going to be fine. Go get some rest," Marleen reassured her children, her hands fondly caressing the back of their heads, "They're going to do everything they can for her." Max gave a somewhat blank and depressed look as he trudged over to a green beat-up sofa that was located in front of a large television set, Ally following her older twin brother and lying next to him as Marleen observed the large recreational room they'd been brought to. She was still so unnerved being in their base, used to fleeing and hiding from the automatons rather than sitting in their play area. And the fact that her own automaton was out of commission only made the situation even harder to handle…but Centennia needed help, which meant she needed to be there for her.

"What if she doesn't wake up?" Max's small and quiet voice reached her, causing her to walk over to them and sit next to them, "What…what if she never comes back?"

"Hey, hey, don't say that," Marleen leaned over them and kissed their heads, taking the white butterfly clips out of Ally's long bangs so that she slept with her hair free, "She's lived for 100 years …she's not going to let a little thing like this get her."

"Centennia was so cold…" Ally's voice trembled in sadness as she snuggled closer to her mother from one side as Max did the same from the other side, "And she just laid there…like Daddy-"

"She's not going to die!" Marleen spoke loudly before she covered her mouth again in surprise, her children staring up at her with wide eyes…eyes with a spark of _fear_ in them. Ever since their father had died, their mother hadn't quite been the same…as if she was tired all the time, tired of going through the most routine of motions, tired of going from state to state, tired of hiding. Marleen moved the hand that was on her mouth to her eyes, the corners of her mouth twitching as they went down.

"I'm so sorry, kids, it's okay…Mommy's just…Mommy's just a little exhausted," Marleen softly apologized, a sob rising from her throat as she got up off the couch to move away from them, to make sure they didn't see her tears and agony. She had to be brave for them, she thought, to make sure that they didn't worry. She had to be someone they could rely on, to find comfort in…that's who she had to be right now. It didn't matter that she was scared to death that Centennia might not awaken ever again, nor was it relevant that she still was torn over the sudden departure of her late husband, whom she had loved with every fiber of her being. They needed a strong mother to take care of them…

"Stay here, I'll be…I'll be back in a few minutes, I promise," she shakily told them, kissing their heads as she left to calm herself. Max and Ally got up slightly as they watched her walk off before settling back on the couch, huddling together to support each other.

"…Mama's not okay…is she?" Ally asked her brother, hugging him tightly.

"She's just scared…Centennia says Ma gets scared like everyone else, but she just acts different when she's scared," Max returned, hugging her back as he tried to ease her fear, though he himself was scared as well, "So, we're all scared…"

"_And yet you show remarkable courage in the face of that fear,_" a baritone voice rolled throughout the large recreational room, causing them to start before they got up and peeked over the top of the sofa, seeing a pair of large glowing blue optics set in a stoic chrome face.

"…Who're you?" Max asked, the more daring of the two as the large automaton rose to his full height.

"My name is Optimus Prime, leader of the Autonomous Robotic Organisms from the planet Cybertron, or Autobots," the regal machine replied in a wise and calm voice, easing the two of them and at the same time, sending them into a state of awe and respect.

"Cool…" Max uttered while Ally rose up further on the couch, gaining courage from her brother's example, "I'm Max Lavender!"

"And I'm Ally Lavender! Is Centennia an…'Autobot', too?" she asked, Ally's robin-egg-blue eyes gazing at him as she laid her forearms on the sofa's top.

"That is yet to be determined," Optimus told her, Ally's expression becoming perplexed.

"…Is that another way to say you don't know?" she asked in a silly, chastising manner as she tilted her head, the leader blinking as he put a small smile on.

"Being an Autobot is a choice, as most things are," he explained, leaning close as he put his hands behind his back and resumed his stoic expression, "As is being a Decepticon, our enemy. For at our very core, we are all Cybertronians."

"Autobots are the good guys, though, right?" Max copied his sister and propped his forearms on the top of the sofa, "You help protect people from the purple guys-I mean, Decepticons!"

"Yes…we fight to preserve all forms of sentient life and their freedom from the tyranny of the Decepticons," Prime confirmed before he leaned back, looking in the direction of where he just came from, "And Centennia, although not of any particular origin, seems to carry the same ideals."

"…" Max crossed his arms on the sofa and put his head on them, growing quiet. Optimus looked back at them and noticed Ally doing the same thing, looking down at the metal floor. They felt guilty, excited and giddy over meeting such a robot, or Autobot, when their own was lying on a metal table, near death.

"Ratchet is one of the best medical officers and engineers in existence," the large Autobot told them, the red-headed twins looking up at his words, "Your guardian is in good hands."

"…Thanks Optimus," Max sniffed and pushed away some tears with the palm of his hand, Ally doing the exact same thing as her brother, "I'm glad we found you guys…now Centennia won't be so lonely anymore." The blue, red, and chrome automaton looked down at them with a small amount of understanding before Ally continued with their thanks.

"This is the first time…we met _nice_ robots," Ally quietly stated, burrowing further into her arms, "Those Decepticons always just shoot at us…"

"So we thought all robots were bad," Max in turn continued for her, looking up optimistically at the large automaton, "But then you guys showed up! It was awesome!" The red-headed boy started punching and kicking the air as if he were fighting an invisible enemy until he lost his balance, about to tumble over the sofa before Optimus caught him.

"Yeah!" Ally laughed as she climbed onto Optimus' hand to join Max, "I didn't see it, but Max told me!"

"I see," there was a small amused tone to Prime's voice as he listened to their rambling, not having any particular qualms about it. Suddenly, they grew quiet as they looked at each other before looking at Optimus, almost telepathically communicating.

"…We can stay here, with you, right?" they both asked simultaneously, hopeful baby and robin-egg blue eyes gazing up at him from his palm.

"Your family and guardian are welcome to stay here for the time being, until we can discover the Decepticon's intent," Optimus graciously offered before he pointed his head down to address them better, "However, while you have made your choice, we've yet to hear your mother's and guardian's thoughts on the matter."

"…I think Centennia wants to stay, but she does everything Ma tells her to," Max sighed, falling on his back and making Prime's hand curve slightly around him.

"And Mama's scared of staying here," Ally further clarified, following Max's example and lying next to him, "So she might want to leave." Optimus turned his body so that he could lean against the balcony that they were on previously, propping his free hand under his other elbow as he settled in for their musings.

"…Centennia…she doesn't say it, but when she looks at the stars, she gets so sad sometimes. Like she's forgetting something important…like she's all alone…even when we're there," Max expressed sorrowfully, turning on his side as he looked away from Prime, "And she loves us lots, but…"

"We can't help her when she needs it most…" Ally finished as she stretched her hands up and looked at them as though they weren't enough…that they were lacking, severely, "I wish I was brave, like you guys...then we could've helped her before anything bad happened…" And for a few long moments, they were quiet in their pondering, showing that while they were of such a young age, they had matured quickly under the circumstances and stress they were put under. Marleen had returned several minutes earlier and was watching from behind the corridor's metal door frame, her heart breaking all over again as she listened to her children's words. She wasn't the only one who was feeling so helpless in this situation…

"Courage is not found standing alone in the light," Optimus began, bringing his hand up so that he could use his optics to look at them properly, "But by standing by our friends in their darkest hours. And fate aids the courageous." The sheer wisdom and authority Prime spoke with caused the twins to watch him in complete and utter silence, their hearts that were once heavy now filled with the unmistakable warmth of hope. Marleen couldn't have generated that…she knew, feeling inadequate as she felt everything slip away from her. She turned away and leaned against the door frame, putting a hand to her face as she slid down to put her head down and hug her knees. First her husband, then Centennia, and now her own children…she was trapped in an endless nightmare she couldn't control, control being the keyword.

"Ms. Lavender?" the profoundly deep voice startled her and she froze for a moment before looking up slowly with tears dripping down her cheeks, "Are you all right?" Max and Ally were both staring down at her from Optimus' hand, wide-eyed and quite frankly worried about their mother's condition.

"I'm fine," she choked out, wiping away the mess of her tears and standing up, "Just a bit...overwhelmed I guess." Optimus nodded to her and kneeled, putting the twins down gently before he pointed his optics at her.

"You are always welcome to discuss your concerns with me, Ms. Lavender," he assured her before rising to his full height, "And know that you are safe here, so please, feel free to stay as long as you need." Marleen glanced between her children who had come to hug her then to Optimus, tears welling up as she found the words to be more than comforting, being offered a choice rather than having to be forced. She finally had some semblance of control and it was something her fragile mental state craved, hugging Max and Ally back as she crouched down.

"We'll be here until Centennia gets better," she firmly decided, a few tears still trickling down her face, "And when she wakes up, I'll ask her what she wants. God knows she deserves it…" Optimus nodded before a small buzzing noise caught everyone's attention and he put his fingers to his comm-link, his expression serious as he listened.

"W-What is it? Is it Centennia?" Marleen asked anxiously, hugging her children closer as he removed his hand and looked down at them. Optimus kneeled down and looked Marleen in the eyes, the atmosphere turning dark and fraught with tension.

"Her vitals have stabilized," he reported to her finally and she gave a sobbing sigh of relief, the children imitating their mother and hugging her in joy, "However, it is imperative that we learn of the origin of the damage to her cortical access point." To show what he meant, Optimus brought his hand up and tapped the back of his helmet, Marleen's eyes widening.

"I told Ratchet…that happened when Centennia first came to Earth," she spoke slowly, unsure of where this was going, "My ancestor, Holly Lavender, wrote that Centennia didn't know who she was, where she came from, or what she was at all. 'Centennia' is just the name she came up with since she came on the centennial of the 18th century."

"The cortical access point is a direct link to a Cybertronian's processors," Optimus enlightened, "Much like a human's brain."

"So…you're saying that…because that place was damaged…?" it was on the tip of Marleen's tongue, and when Optimus filled in the blanks, her eyes widened.

"Most likely, it is the reason for her lost memories," Prime told her, then narrowed his eyes, "And according to Ratchet's pre-evaluation…this was no accident." Marleen was slightly stunned by the information before she grit her teeth, still feeling overwhelmed by the tidal wave of information that was being given to her.

"What do you mean? If you say she has robot-amnesia," Marleen put a hand to her head, trying to process it all, "Normally, it's because she got hit on the head or…"

"Her earliest logs yielded an aggressive Cortical Psychic Patch algorithm," he told her in a somber mood, "_Reprogrammed _before breaking through her firewalls until even her most precious recollections were taken. Afterwards, it is clear by various injuries that her life was meant to be taken but had escaped to Earth, only to be awakened without her memories by your ancestor Holly."

"They brainwashed her?" Max asked, having seen enough science-fiction movies to understand what 'reprogrammed' meant, "Why?"

"For that reason, we are trying to decrypt a small cache of data packs that were hidden within the confines of her processors," Optimus replied before focusing his attention in the direction of Centennia, his expression stoic, "_If we can discover what she was hiding, perhaps we can discover the reason for which she was condemned to death…_"

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><p>chiv-id: All right! Finally, we have a small piece of the story and a basic plot line set up! Again, if any of this is going too fast for you, please, tell me in a <em><strong>REVIEW. I NEED 'EM PEOPLE, BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT YOU'RE THINKING WHEN YOU'RE READING THIS.<strong>_ Phew, and just a reminder, I have a poll up in my profile that asks which Transformer should be getting the sugar in this fic. Vote now, Ratchet or Optimus! Oh, and RATCHET is winning right now, with two votes. So if you're Optimus Prime fans, please, chuck your votes or else Ratchet's going to win out!


	7. Humbled and Honored

chiv-id: FINALLY, DONE. Sweet Jesus, this was a long-ass chapter, but we're at least on the second episode now! Again, you're definitely going to have to watch the series if you want to read this fic, because it relies heavily on you having seen it. Anywho, there's going to be a LOT said in this chapter, so I hope no one gets lost. And I absolutely LOVE the ending, so I hope you enjoy that part particularly for those of you who are DECEPTICON fans. See you at the ending!

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><p>A Fated Exchange<p>

Chapter 5: Humbled and Honored

**[AUTOBOT RECORDS]**

"…Electro-pulse normal…Energon levels stable…" Ratchet leaned away from the computers and moved a hand to his forearm, grasping at the large metal edges in an effort to release some of the tense pressure there, "Looks like she'll pull through…" He glanced down to look at his most difficult case yet, the gunmetal gray pallor that Centennia was once almost was consumed by was now fading to show a luster that had been absent before. So close to joining the Well of Allsparks was she that Ratchet had little hope of recovery, until Optimus had suggested the use of the previously fought Decepticons' parts. Ratchet had set to work after his leader had quickly brought in two or three of the corpses and, omitting some of the various gruesome details, surgically removed most of the regulators, circuits, and operating units that she was in dire need of. The doctor likened it to filling in the missing pieces of a puzzle, either replacing the damaged pieces with that of the Decepticons' or just fitting it in because it was missing entirely.

"_Hmph_…" he huffed as he sat down for a minute, the entire operation having drained him as he had to operate on both living and _dead_ Cybertronians, "You're lucky this time, but if you end up like this again, you're on your own, got it?" He didn't expect her to answer as he continued to watch the steady rising and falling of her chest, calmly taking in the air needed to cool various new systems that had been implanted before pushing on the hot compressed exhaust. Her body was not very aesthetically-pleasing, not by a long shot, he surmised, but that was mostly because of poor care and the fact that he just pieced her together from scrapped parts. What was that movie Bulkhead had referred to him as? _ Dr. Frankenstein_? That was what he felt like he was at the moment, and Centennia was his monstrous creation, although Optimus would have surely put it into nicer and more appropriate terms. However, she did have a rather delicately set face, he observed: a pair of thin, classically-shaped eyebrow ridges curving over two closed optics that were ridged with frosty white rims, more on the top than the bottom, and spaced nicely. They were followed by a small mouth that was had a glossy icy-white finish, now parted slightly as she exchanged the cool air with warm. All of these features combined were set in a lovely curved chrome face plate, the luster that was emerging from her gradually increasing health showing the cold beauty that laid there. Ratchet shook his head to bring himself out of his reverie, instead focusing on the terrible condition the rest of her was in.

"Even sparklings know how to change their emission tanks properly," he noted as he stood up again, giving her a more thorough examination now that she wasn't in critical condition, "Tailpipe clogged, wheels caked with Primus knows what…" Then, he remembered what he wanted to investigate earlier: the intensely mangled mess of her cortical access point. Ratchet, as gently as he could with his comatose patient, rolled her onto her side before he brought his flashlight to look at it again. Clumsy or perhaps deliberate force had been applied with the patching cord as he noted the harsh piercing marks that dotted the outside of the access point, resulting from clasps improperly latched onto the back of her head. Then, there was the matter of the inside of it, which certainly did not come from a patching cord, more like a sharp implement that had been jammed in with vicious brutality to prevent anyone else from doing the same procedure. However, Ratchet was a very skilled medic, more so than most would give him credit for.

"If someone just wanted to offline you," Ratchet murmured as he clicked his flashlight off and brought his fingers to rub his chin, "They could have merely plucked your spark from your chest. Why go through the trouble of…?" He trailed off and bent down as he searched for a particular piece of equipment, his own cortical patching cord that he used when the repair chamber was…well, under repair, finding it necessary as a direct link would be more efficient in this case. He carefully repaired some of the inner lining of her access point and discarded any shards or unnecessary pieces of metal that would hamper him, eventually making her cortical access point accessible once more. With one last check, Ratchet hooked the cord to the newly-furbished area and the other end to the primitive computers that he was using, doing a diagnostic check as best he good with the basically-repaired area.

"…What's this?" he typed in a command for a search of data logs, but only came up with several Gigabytes of memory, which was strange for a bot as old as she was. He guessed that she was young, but older than Bumblebee at least, considering how experienced she seemed with battle at the concrete trench, as reported by Arcee, Bulkhead, and the scout.

"This can't be," Ratchet typed in various other commands, trying to find any other pieces of information such as basic auto-repair and the files of Cybertron's history, but none were found, "…A complete wiping of the processors?" He had heard of Cybertronians sometimes losing data banks once in a while, but never of complete and total destruction of one's personal memories and basic functions while they were still online. He checked the earliest entry that her processors logged and found all the evidence he needed: an algorithm of dastardly origins, the Decepticon frequency all over the Cortical Psychic Patch documentation, followed by a command for immediate disassembly afterwards.

"_Optimus_," the medical officer pressed his fingers to his comm-link, optics glowing as he looked at his computer screens, "_Centennia's condition is no longer critical. However, there is clear evidence that she underwent a serious purging of her memory core via a Cortical Psychic Patch, and I'm confident the Decepticons were behind it, not to mention that she was scheduled for becoming spare parts following the operation._" He paused as he scrolled to check the memory logs between the command and the entry for her crash-landing on Earth, but it only showed various tracking positions between Cybertron and Earth. Whatever had happened after the Cortical Psychic Patch, 'Centennia' had found a way to escape the deadly fate that awaited her and made her way to Earth, battered and with processors wiped, unaware of her past. Ratchet searched through the rest of her data banks when he came across a portion of inaccessible data packs, encrypted in some frequency and Cybertronian electro-lock that he could not yet decipher.

"_There are also some encrypted data packs here, but not large enough to be back-up files for her memories,_" Ratchet continued as he scanned them for later decrypting, "_However, they may give us clues as to who she might really be. Her family may have some important information, as well. And if I find anything else, I'll be sure to report. Ratchet, out._" He lifted his fingers and stared down at Centennia's prone form, her optics still closed and unseeing.

"At least we solved one question," Ratchet sighed as sat down again, tired, "Only to find several more taking its place…" He was quiet as he monitored her readings, resting until he had the strength to resume his duties, making short work of the Decepticon dead as he wheeled their corpses to a different part of his medical bay before taking Centennia to the control room, pushing her large metal gurney with ease. He still had to watch over the control room, imperative in case the other Autobots needed a quick ground-bridge out of a dangerous position, and at the same time keep an eye on the recovering femm. Ratchet, for all his grump and gripe, was a hard worker and took his job seriously.

"_Ratchet, the Lavenders are requesting to see their guardian_," Optimus suddenly called in via comm-link and the medic lifted his head up from the control room's computers, "_However, she is not in the sick bay._"

"_She's here in the control room with me, Optimus,_" Ratchet reported, glancing down at Centennia and was about to return his attention back to the screens when he froze, optics wide before he slowly turned his head back. Centennia's optics were open and staring at him…for how long he didn't know, but those pair of white optics, though dimly lit and opened only slightly, were watching him now…

_**[Centennia Logs]**_

'…What…?' Centennia had awakened from her sleep only a few moments before when she heard someone talking near her, a male voice that she'd never heard before emanating somewhere above her. The white femm that was now interspersed with purple and black Decepticon parts turned her optics on, feeling both terrible and surprisingly fresher all at the same time. The walls of a large room blearily came into focus as she blinked, though her vision wavered every now and then.

'…Marleen…' was the second thought that came to mind, 'Max…Ally…' She forced herself to become more aware of her surroundings as she kept them within her focus, now noticing another robot that was working at some sort of machinery, most likely the owner of the voice from before. He was red and white, with a compact and stocky build, noting that he had large aqua-blue optics when he turned around to look down at her. When he did, he seemed to be surprised as he suddenly stopped whatever it was he was doing to glance back at her slowly.

"_Tcchhaaazzzz-_" Centennia's voice came in like static from a broken radio, causing her to pause before she closed her mouth to figure out what was wrong, "…_Aazzkkkttttt…maaakkkk…_" Well, wasn't this just great? She lost her ability to speak, she thought with some disdain before she tried to think about how to communicate.

"…It seems like you've yet to get used to your new voice processor," he shed some light on the situation as he came over to her, "That will come with time. For now, you should rest." Her optics glowed a bit brighter as she studied his face, her hand twitching as she tried to move it, but found that there was something heavy weighing down on it. Centennia's foggy mind tried to process the image as she saw a tube latched onto her wrist joint before seeing that there were quite a number of tubes that were attached on other places of her body, causing her optics to go wide slightly. What had happened after that battle? And where were Marleen and the twins?

"Calm down," the foreign male bot brought his hands up as he noticed her trying to get up, pressing his hands on her shoulders, "You can't move yet, not so soon after the surgery."

…_Surgery?_ What surgery? What had happened?

"I said, don't move!" he forced her back on the table as she suddenly rocketed up, causing her to buzz in pain, "I'm sorry, but you can't move around without a few more hours of rest!" Centennia, ignoring the white and red automaton, continued to struggle, the male bot having to hold her down as he tried to reach the controls of the machine she was hooked up to. However, she threw him off with a gigantic swat of her arm, smacking him to the side as she started to rise from the table. Suddenly, an explosion of pain blossomed from the back of her head as a sharp bang was heard, Centennia falling back to the table as she reached her hands to grasp her metal cranium. Then, she felt herself lulling into another long slumber, weakly trying to fight the oncoming darkness that seeped into the edges of her vision as the tubes started pumping something strange into her.

"When your physician says don't move, he means it!" came the distorted and frustrated voice of the stranger, her optics dimming as she glanced back at him, "You'll thank me later…" With that, she drifted back into the dreamless slumber that she had once returned from, a whirring whine escaping from her before she quieted.

**[Marleen's Diary]**

"Oh my God…what's happened to her?" Marleen asked in a quiet and disturbed voice, seeing her friend now looking like a distorted art piece with purple and black pieces dotting her entire body along with numerous tubes placed here and there, "What did you do?" She and her children were riding on Optimus' shoulder as they traveled to see Centennia, Marleen horrified when they finally got to see her, putting her hands over her children's eyes. Max pushed at her hand forcibly before gazing on his guardian, similarly pushed into a quiet state of surprise.

"Only what was necessary," Ratchet answered, cleaning his hands with a large rag before taking a device of some kind and examining it, Marleen noting that it was slightly dented and bent, "She hasn't had a proper maintenance check in some time. Many of her parts were damaged beyond repair and needed to be replaced. Others were simply missing." Optimus walked closer and put Marleen and the twins next to Centennia's prone body.

"Replaced with what? Are you color-blind?" Marleen asked vehemently as Max and Ally started examining their guardian's state, Ratchet's optics widened before narrowing at her in an offended manner, "You look like you just went to the 99 cent store and got some spray paint!"

"Cybertronian parts are rare here on Earth," Optimus calmed the situation before it got any worse, Ratchet and Marleen already almost at blows, "Ratchet is a fine medical officer who saved her life. And though she may not look like the guardian you once knew, she is still your 'Centennia'." Marleen continued to stare down (or up, in her case) at Ratchet for a few more moments until she sighed and looked back at Centennia, Max and Ally laughing as they slid down a new section of her torso. If they weren't too disturbed by the transformation, then perhaps she shouldn't worry so much.

"…Thank you, doctor," Marleen admitted as she looked back at the white and red ambulance, his expression somewhat blank and unbelieving as he watched her, "I'm sorry, I was just…I didn't think you'd change her appearance so much…"

"Don't worry," Ratchet decidedly mentioned as he turned away, not accepting the apology with words but with a nod of his head, "Once her body accepts the new grafts, she'll be able to choose a new vehicular form. I had to reset her functions when I was taking out this." He motioned to the primitive solar array technology that was once lodged in her chest, now sitting off to the side next to the controls for the ground-bridge.

"Where did you get these parts, though? They look like…" Marleen's voice got softer as she approached the shiny purple replacement part on Centennia's chest when she noticed a small insignia, one that made her eyes widen as she recognized it, "…Are you insane? This is-"

"We know what it is, Marleen," Ratchet replied, tiredly looking to her as he checked the hose attached to Centennia's chest, "Like Optimus said, parts are rare enough. We must take what we can…" Marleen quieted as she saw the futility in arguing the point: had Centennia not had the parts, she would not have survived and then where would they be? She gritted her teeth as she raised a fist as if to slam it into the armor, but instead just lightly pounded it in frustration. She hated them…not just dislike or fear, but hated those Decepticons with everything she had in her. They had taken away her husband, her parents, and nothing anyone could do or say would make her change her mind.

"…When will she wake up?" she asked, changing the topic as her children were starting to stare at her with worry again before they traveled to Centennia's mouth and started playing with the corners of them, "And Max, Ally, that's disrespectful."

"She's…already awakened before," Ratchet looked away as if guilty and Marleen raised an eyebrow before the twins looked up in surprise and hope, smiling widely as they traveled to his side of the table, "However, she needed more rest and I had to…sedate her, immediately. She won't be waking for a few more hours." The twins' smiles dropped from their faces as they pouted, crossing their arms as they walked back to play with Centennia's face again. They then circled to change places, but noticed a sizable dent in her head and they looked back at Ratchet.

"Weren't you gonna fix her?" Max asked, Ally pointing at the dent with him, "How come she's got a big-"

"Ah ba-ba-baa!" Ratchet came over and tried to shoo them away from there, Optimus raising an eyebrow ridge, "She just…recently…got that."

"She didn't have that before!" Ally argued, being a bit of a brat before Ratchet gave a sigh and held up the previously damaged equipment he was examining.

"She put up a bit of a fight when she woke up and…she was being stubborn," Ratchet looked away as he tried to explain himself without making himself the 'bad guy'. This…didn't work at all.

"You…HIT her?" the twins echoed in shock, backing away as they hugged each other. Ratchet face-palmed and gave another long drawn-out sigh as Optimus gave a somewhat disapproving look. Marleen, on the other hand, had her mouth opened as she tried to comprehend what a 'doctor' did to his 'patient'.

"What kind of doctor are _you_?" she asked in a high-pitched tone, coming over to take her twins and look at the mark Ratchet had left, "I don't know about you, but here on Earth, people don't hit their patients over the head with a…club!"

"It's a flashlight!" Ratchet argued in a rushed and irritated tone, shaking it at them before Optimus came to Ratchet's side and put his hand on the bot's shoulder.

"Easy Ratchet," the large automaton warned, Ratchet calming at his request, "Marleen, I apologize, but if Ratchet needed to subdue Centennia, then I trust that his judgment on the matter was sound. Although exercising the use of his 'flashlight' may have been a poor means to his ends." Ratchet looked back at Optimus after his last words, his mouth moving silently in grumbles and justifications before re-checking the monitors of her condition.

"Can we stay here with her until she wakes up?" Marleen asked, now highly suspicious of Ratchet and his supposed intent to subdue her.

"Of course," Optimus nodded, much to Ratchet's reluctance, "I will be investigating a small matter in the meantime, so Ratchet will be your overseer for a small time." Marleen and Ratchet looked at each other, then away in mutual disagreement, Optimus and the twins looking at each other in turn before the leader of the Autobots took his leave. For the next few hours, the twins would run around Centennia while Marleen kept an eye on Ratchet, the white and red automaton doing the same while he ran his diagnostic procedures. Eventually, as the ambulance moved his hands to again check the hose attached to one of her hips while Marleen looked on with some suspicion, Ratchet's comm-link suddenly started to buzz...

**[AUTOBOT RECORDS]**

"_Ratchet, we've got the humans,_" Arcee's less-than-pleased voice rang out in his audio receptors, Ratchet touching his fingers to his comm-link, "_Heading homebound._"

"_Understood. I'll contact the others and open the doors,_" he replied, walking to the control panel before he linked his comm-link to Bulkhead and Optimus, "_Bulkhead, Optimus, Arcee and Bumblebee have retrieved the two boys._"

"_Got it, heading in_," Bulkhead responded before he cut out.

"_I'll be there shortly_," Optimus similarly replied, and Ratchet turned to look at Marleen and the twins, sighing.

"What is it?" Marleen asked, the twins looking up from their small art project on one of Centennia's forearms.

"Apparently, it's 'bring your human to work' day," he told her dryly, turning away to open the doors for Bulkhead first, "Two more boys are coming to the base." Max and Ally perked up before they rose and ran over to Ratchet's side again on the table.

"Cool, so there's more people that know about you guys, like us?" they asked in unison, Ratchet cringing inwardly as he continued monitoring his teammates' life signals returning to base.

"Yes…" he mumbled before focusing on his work, "They'll be here shortly." He heard the twins whispering excitedly amongst themselves before Marleen's voice rang in again, already a grating pain in his-

"Isn't it dangerous for children to be here?" asked Marleen, but Ratchet silenced her with a single, irritated look.

"And what of _your_ children?" he rebutted, Marleen narrowing her eyes.

"I'm watching over them," she returned fire, going over and hugging them protectively, "And as long as Centennia is here, we'll be staying." He scoffed and continued his work again, finally pressing a button and opening the outside door for Bulkhead.

"Whoa," the green Autobot commented, coming to look at Centennia's body. Ratchet cursed mentally as he turned to look at Bulkhead who was looking back with some questions in his optics.

"These parts…they're Decepticon parts, right?" he asked, Ratchet nodding tiredly as he came over to the table again, "…Looks like she was in pretty bad shape if you had to use 'em…"

"Critical condition," Ratchet confirmed, placing his hands on the table and leaning slightly, "And any other questions about our new 'guest' can wait until the others get back." He preferred not suffering through the pains of explaining it individually to them over and over again, already having had a long hard day with the Marleen-monster figuratively looking over his shoulder every time he touched Centennia.

"What's got your bearings in a bunch?" Bulkhead raised an eyebrow ridge at Ratchet who seemed even grumpier than normal, the medical officer giving a side-glance at Marleen before turning to watch Arcee and Bumblebee's signals exit the city. The twins were hiding behind Centennia's body while Ratchet and Bulkhead were talking, but once they were done, they came out to look up at Bulkhead, the green automaton blinking at them.

"…Hi," they waved and talked at the same time, Bulkhead waving and greeting them in like, awkwardly, when Bumblebee and Arcee soon came into the control room. A small bespectacled boy stepped out of Bumblebee while a girl and a boy got off of Arcee, both Autobots transforming as soon as the humans had gotten away from them. Ratchet particularly paid attention to the new female human, already having enough pains with the older one as it is.

"I thought there were two," Ratchet queried as he stepped towards the children and kept Centennia's body behind him as he stood near Bulkhead.

"Haven't you heard? Humans multiply," Arcee replied, explaining her foul mood to some extent. Ratchet looked down at the three children, blinking before he felt a tap on his lower back and looked behind him, Marleen and the twins looking at him expectantly. He rolled his optics as he sighed and put his hand next to the table, letting them get on before lowering them to the ground slowly.

"I'm Raf," said the brown spiky-haired boy with glasses, holding out his hand to the new female, but was promptly ignored as the girl ran to Bulkhead.

"I'm Miko!" she started before she stopped in front of him, "Who're you?" She had a bubbly personality, bubbly enough to match the small streaks of pink as well as that hair-do.

"Bulkhead," the green Autobot replied warily, his arms rising slightly in surprise as she immediately veered toward him. While the pink and black-haired girl talked Bulkhead into silence, the twins came over to the black-haired teen and Raf.

"I'm Max," the red-headed boy raised his hand, smiling widely at them.

"I'm Ally!" she hugged her older twin and made a peace sign, "We're twins!"

"Noticed," the older black-haired male smiled as he looked at Max, "And I remember you! You're that kid that was with the white robot. Where is she?" Max pointed up at the table, but before the new teen could investigate, Marleen stepped forward.

"And I'm Marleen, their mother," she bowed her head to look down at him and Raf, being slightly taller.

"Oh…I'm Jackson Darby, but everyone calls me Jack," he moved his eyes back to the table, "And…is that your robot?"

"She's our guardian, yes," Marleen corrected, watching Max and Ally as they started conversing with Raf, "And she's…she's not up for talking at the moment." Jack seemed to notice the quiet and subtle look Marleen gave to Centennia and backed off of the subject, getting the hint that something was wrong.

"So, if you guys are robots, who made you?" Raf asked innocently to change the topic, Max and Ally turning to look at Ratchet and Bulkhead expectantly with him.

"_Ugghhfff_…puh-leeeze…" the medic uttered with sarcasm and rolling his optics again, insulted by the question before he looked up to see Optimus making his grand entrance. And as the humans became enamored with his leader, as most usually were when first meeting him, Ratchet turned around to check Centennia again, depressurizing a hose that was too tightly wound from long use. He did not feel the need to mingle with the humans as Optimus seemed to encourage, that much was evident with the death of Cliffjumper not too long ago and the battle of wills between himself and Marleen that he honestly did not have the Energon to spare for. He was sure that Arcee felt the same way, from her disposition when she returned from Jasper. Bulkhead was more or less neutral on the matter, though he did display wariness around the Miko girl, and Bumblebee obviously liked the brown-haired one with glasses, letting him ride in his cab.

"_…Kkkk…_" came a small static noise that caught his attention, Ratchet's optics that were darkly lit during his reverie now glowing at full power as he looked down at his patient, "_…Kkkkkkkk…_" Centennia's optics flashed a couple of times before dimly turning back on, refocusing on Ratchet's face. Primus, just when he'd gotten her asleep a few hours ago…

"…Hhh…wwwhh…" her voice was still immensely soft, so much that he had to turn up his audio sensitivity to hear her as he bent down lower to hear her, "…Marleeennn…" Ratchet scoffed and raised his torso as he crossed his arms, optics stern, but before he could give an answer, a suggestion from Optimus caused him to focus his attention elsewhere.

"It is best that you three remain under our watch," Optimus told them, "At least until we can determine our enemies' intentions." Ratchet had to put a hand on Centennia's chest to keep her down, hoping that she didn't start causing a motion as he turned and started to argue his case.

"Optimus, with all due respect, the human children are in as much danger here as anywhere," Ratchet disagreed, hearing one protest about their age-specific category of 'children', "They have no protective shell. If they get underfoot, they will go…" The medical officer really didn't have any way to put it, though he knew that Marleen would most definitely get on his case about his word usage.

"…_Squish_," he finished, making a small step towards them that caused all of the humans to flinch, Marleen pulling her now somewhat scared twins into her arms, the older woman glaring at Ratchet for saying such a terrible thing.

"Then for the time being, Ratchet," Optimus put his hands on his metal hips, bringing a hand to gesture towards them as he glanced down once, "We must _watch_ where we _step_." A warning alarm sounded just as he finished, Ratchet looking to the screens and pulling up the security footage as he checked the proximity sensors. Once he ascertained what the threat was, Ratchet resumed his pressure on Centennia's chest, noticing that she was trying to move again.

"It's Agent Fowler," Ratchet informed Optimus, looking back at the white and purple femm that he was keeping still.

"I-I thought we were the only humans who knew about you guys?" Jack asked, his hands gesturing to himself, the other two kids who had accompanied him, and the Lavenders.

"Special Agent Fowler is our designated liaison to the outside world," Optimus answered, turning to look at the children and Lavenders again, "As he tends to visit only when there are _issues_, it may be best if you do not meet him at this time." They understood and quickly headed for the nearest wall they could hide behind, Ratchet mentally cursing as he forgot to bring something to cover Centennia with. Fowler was a stickler for a lot of peace and little paperwork, so having a mystery Cybertronian who was now decorated in Decepticon armor was most definitely _not_ going to result in a shorter visit. Ratchet motioned to Bulkhead and he came over to guard Centennia, the doctor using a nearby adjusting tuner to latch over her mouth and prevent her from speaking anymore. Needless to say, the femm wasn't happy and began to awaken with a clear mind and a rather annoyed disposition, her levels indicating the stages of her rising.

"Seven wrecks? Thirty four fender-benders? A three-hour traffic jam?" Special Agent William "Bill" Fowler had finally arrived and was already dishing out the damage done that was caused by the previous battle with a steely attitude that showed no mercy or fear for the Autobots, "And on a particular note, numerous reports of a speeding motorcycle of unknown make. And a black and yellow custom-muscle car." Arcee and Bumblebee both seemed unfazed by his accusations, shrugging even though they knew that it was them the reports were referring to.

"So, anything you care to get off your tin chest, _Prime_?" Fowler asked in a snappish tone, Optimus coming to look the angry African-American agent in the eyes. Ratchet almost sighed in relief, the large Autobot leader blocking most of Fowler's vision, but he continued to keep Bulkhead in front of Centennia for precaution.

"We have the situation under control, Agent Fowler," Prime tried to reassure the man, but his eyes were hard and unyielding in light of his immense size and words.

"They're back, aren't they?" Fowler asked seriously and in a quiet voice. Bulkhead was already getting irritated by the snooping agent, but Ratchet held him back, not wanting to let Centennia be seen until Fowler was good and gone from the base.

"If you are referring to the Decepticons, I have doubts that they ever left," Optimus returned and narrowed his optics, "Your planet is much too valuable." Ratchet glanced down at Centennia as she was trying to free herself from the tuner's clawed grip, though the fact that he had a tight grip on her hands made it hard to do so.

"Then it's time to wake up the Pentagon," the agent replied with seriousness laced in his tone, his expression drawn and tight.

"Hear me, Agent Fowler," Prime leaned in closer to make the man listen to him clearly, "We are your best – possibly your _only_ defense against the Decepticon threat." Fowler met his argument head-on, obviously fighting with Prime every step of the way on this issue.

"Says you," Fowler clashed with Optimus, but before the Autobot leader could respond, Bulkhead spoke up, unable to keep quiet anymore.

"Hey, fleshie, did anyone get splattered on that freeway?" he ground out angrily, driven to grab the adjusting tuner that Ratchet was using to keep Centennia quiet unwittingly, "Team Prime knows when to use force…and how much to use." With a quick squeeze, Bulkhead made short work of the tuner, Ratchet's optics going wide at the destruction of his tool.

"Bulkhead, I _needed_ that!" Ratchet exclaimed before he heard the static noise, realizing the consequences as Bulkhead had moved in order to take the adjusting tuner from Centennia's mouth, not to mention he had just released Centennia's wrists to deal with the over-sized Autobot. He and the others turned to stare at a now completely awake Centennia, her optics narrowed at Ratchet in particular…

_**[Centennia Logs]**_

"_…Kkkkhhh…_" the static of her voice got louder before suddenly a pop and whirr was heard, Centennia stretching her mouth before it formed a thin formidable line as she looked to white and red automaton before in particular, "…Where is…my _family_?" She grasped one of the tubes to her chest tightly and detached it with ease, the hissing noise of the hose as well as the sudden vapor that arose making her seem almost sinister as the lights glinted off of her new Decepticon armor.

"You brought a Decepticon into your _base_?" the African-American human seemed to look around for something before bringing up a walkie-talkie, but the red, blue, and chrome automaton put a hand up.

"She is not a Decepticon," he replied before turning to face her, "_Centennia_." When he addressed her, the white femm had already taken several hoses and was standing, everyone giving her a wide berth as her single-minded purpose gave her a bit of a dangerous atmosphere. Centennia looked to him, head held high, unafraid of him despite being quite larger than her. She felt that she was justified in being just a tad livid, what with having the knowledge of her family's whereabouts and being knocked out with a blow to the back of her head shortly after waking the first time.

"Your family is safe," he told her first, though she didn't quite believe him initially until he gestured to the wall where everyone was hiding, "You need not worry any longer." Centennia kneeled down as Max and Ally ran to her instinctively, forgoing any precaution to hide themselves as they did so. Marleen came soon after, all of them crowding around her as they cried tears of joy and telling her that they were glad she was all right. She smiled at them and picked them up, letting them get on her shoulders as she continued to remove the hoses from her body, despite the noisy protests of the white and red one that had hit her on the head. With her family safe, Centennia wasn't particularly feeling hostile towards them, seeing that they could have killed her and her charges already while she had been defenseless and decidedly gave them a brief chance. She then noticed that there were other humans hiding and was about to wave her hand at them when they shook their heads, Centennia focusing on the odd picture of automaton and human conversing at their request.

"Centennia is a rogue Cybertronian we found and tended to," the large leader explained to the other human, gesturing to her, "And these are her human charges."

"You mean, she's not on either side?" the man seemed to be unnerved and untrusting of Centennia, the white femm not taking much offense as she knew that these times were dangerous enough as they were, "And they're going to have to be taken into custody." She put a hand protectively over Marleen and the kids, using body language to aggressively tell him to 'back off', to which he held up his hands in response.

"No, but we believe that she shares the same ideals," the red, blue, and chrome automaton turned to her and for the first time, Centennia found herself in a strange sense of awe in front of him. He walked so that he was directly in front of her, but the white femm stood her ground as she faced him, watching his every move. A chance she would give, but not her guard.

"Centennia," he gestured to the rest of his team, her white optics analyzing them, "My name is Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots. Despite the neutral stance you have taken on our war, I would like to formally invite you to join us in our struggle against the Decepticon threat." The corner of her mouth twitched as she tried to understand what was being said to her, not aware that there had been a war in the first place. Autobots? Decepticons? And what 'neutral'? She'd been actively hiding and fighting those 'Decepticons' for nearly the entire century she had lived on Earth.

"Whoa, whoa, wait!" the African-American man waved his arms to get their attention, "You're just going to 'invite' her? Do you know anything about her? What if she's a real Decepticon in disguise? Though…that's one really bad disguise…" Centennia glanced at herself and noticed the extreme make-over she received, putting her hands on her body to see if she could pry off the purple armor that was starting to make her feel almost sick. A large part of her chest was now part Decepticon, along with her right shoulder ridge, right arm, left hip, knee-joints, and her entire left leg from the knee down. And that was only what she could see currently, Centennia thought, noting that the sharp and jagged angles of the black and purple Decepticon armor clashing with her sleek design.

"Agent Fowler," Optimus turned to the man to address him once more, "We…lost a comrade the day before." The man known as Fowler blinked and looked at the five Autobots that were in the cavern before slowly turning to focus on Optimus, seeming to understand.

"There were six of you, weren't there?"

"Indeed. Our numbers are vastly outnumbered by the Decepticons, Agent Fowler. Every casualty costs us dearly, so it is within Earth's best interest as well as ours that we accept help from where we can, even if it comes from the most unlikely of places."

"_Hmph_…if you were as good as you say, then – "

"Hey, Cliffjumper was one of the best," Arcee angrily interrupted the middle of their argument, narrowing her optics at Fowler, "He was my _partner_. And he _died_, protecting _your_ planet. So - if you could manage it - he deserves a little _respect_!" Everyone was quiet after that, even the special agent, until a few moments later when he huffed and turned his back to them.

"Fine, then do us both a favor and handle this Prime, _under_ the radar," Fowler walked back towards the elevator, having enough of dealing with the Autobots as he made sure to direct his voice to Prime, and only Prime, "_Or I will_." With that, he went back up to the top of the base, leaving them to their duties. Once he was gone, the rest of the humans shuffled out awkwardly from their hiding place and Centennia glanced back to Optimus after watching the agent rise back to the top.

"Pretty big bearings…_for a human_," the large green automaton commented before Optimus turned to him.

"Agent Fowler is concerned for his world, Bulkhead," Prime reminded him, "As he should be." The leader of the Autobots turned to face Centennia who had been watching quietly, but was in fact making sure that there was a clear way to exit the base if fighting was necessary.

"What say you, Centennia? Would you aid us in our struggle?" he asked, Centennia looked at the larger automaton and glanced down to Marleen on her shoulder.

"…I cannot," she stated simply, closing her optics before looking back at Optimus.

"Why? You kicked Decepticon aft back there!" Bulkhead pumped his fist and Centennia looked to him.

"My 'protection' is different from your 'protection'," she spoke cryptically before she explained after the perplexed looks she got, "I protect these three here. And these three only. A selfish and exclusive protection is what I give, something that cannot hold a light to your claims to defending an entire planet from a destructive faction of your own race." They quieted at her admission, staring at her.

"We fight collectively for all of humankind," Optimus began, but Marleen stood up on Centennia's shoulder and rapped on Centennia's metal chrome face plate, causing the femm to flinch before looking at her. Clearly, this was a 'family matter', that was what was being projected by Marleen's stance.

"…Centennia," Marleen put a hand on the plating she just ran her knuckles on, "Don't put up a front. You want to stay here, we all know you do." The white femm remained emotionless, but her optics did contract at her statement before looking at the twins who nodded with their mother.

"They said we could stay here, too!" Max smiled before turning to look at the other humans, "And look, now we've got someone else to play with, so you don't have to worry about us all the time!" Centennia was quiet for a moment before a quiet amused chuckle emanated from her.

"…I will always worry about you. _And_ Ally, and your mother," she sighed as she eased her posture and placed a hand on her hip, "You're all right with staying here, then?" Marleen and the twins looked at each other before rolling their eyes.

"_Yes!_" they all shouted in unison, exasperated by Centennia's fretting. The humans below them all laughed, Centennia smiling fondly at her red-headed companions.

"Then I retract my answer," she before extending a hand to Optimus, "I am honored and humbled to join your ranks." The older bot returned the smile in his own way, quiet and full of wisdom, before shaking the offered hand, everyone but Ratchet and Arcee excitedly buzzing about their newest member of the Autobots…

**[DECEPTICON ARCHIVES]**

"Starscream, do you have anything else you have to offer me…or are Energon-gathering and the death of one_ – single _– Autobot the only tasks you have to report completed during my three-year-absence?" Megatron's displeased gravelly voice coupled with the swift flick of his blade to remove the Energon-blood from it made the commander back away slowly, bowing as he did so. While he was meagerly satisfied with Starscream's work, Megatron felt that the flying Decepticon needed to be reminded of his place after his three long years away, punishment for the earlier attempt at 'lording' whilst in Megatron's presence.

"No, my lord," Starscream told him, sweeping his arms out as he frantically searched his data banks for something – _anything_ – he could provide, "Of course not! We…we have been tracking that renegade Cybertronian since your departure! We know that she resides in Jasper, Nevada now, but the Autobots now know of her presence and may be trying to…_sway_ her."

"_Hmm…_" he rumbled, he turned back to look down the mining shaft, his hands crossing behind his back, "_Her…_" Megatron, so busy with his current plans for Earth's take-over, had nearly forgotten about the mysterious femm, his interests in her far from just being plain curious.

"Yes…if I may, Lord Megatron," Starscream's groveling form did not please Megatron as the worm came around the side to look at him, "What is your…_fascination_ with this femm that you have?" There was a subtle hint as to what Starscream believed the reason for his fancy and Megatron's optics narrowed before he aimed his blade at his second-in-command's neck, causing the Seeker to lean back to the point where he fell on his wings, arms held up in a pitiful defense.

"You dare question my motives, _Starscream_?" he asked in quiet, but deadly voice before Starscream gave a whimpering and pathetic mechanical noise, "…What business I have with that one is none of your concern, Starscream. You'd do well to remember that…" He removed his blade from Starscream's direction and the Decepticon breathed a bit easier, putting a hand to his neck as Megatron's blade disappeared back into his arm.

"…_Ahhgghh…_yes, Lord Megatron," the master of the Decepticons turned to look down at the sliced corpse of Cliffjumper while the 'Con got back up, "I shall remember that well…"

"Have Soundwave keep a close watch on her," he ordered, straightening his back as he looked at a passing cart of Energon returning to the ship, "That much you can do, correct, Starscream?" The second-in-command bowed as Megatron turned his head to glare at him from the corner of his optics, Starscream going to tell the surveillance Decepticon in person to escape Megatron's current foul mood towards him. With a shifting of his shoulder plates, the Lord of Decepticons continued to monitor the drones' work.

"The three of us together again, at last…" he uttered enigmatically, a haunting and evil grin crossing his face, "_…Just like old times…_"

* * *

><p>chiv-id: Megatron...why is your character so awesome to write about rather than Optimus'? WHY? And just FYI, I'm an Autobot-fan all the way, but Megatron and Starscream do have a fun dynamic when you write the interactions between these two. PHEW, SO I'M GLAD YOU GUYS GOT THROUGH THIS SEMI-LONG CHAPTER. It was so much fun to write, but at the same time I got stuck on a lot of levels. AND FOWLER, YAY! Surprisingly, I think Fowler might be my favorite human in the series besides Raf, just 'cuz he's funny and bad-ass all at the same time. AH-HEM, SO! I've got some people to address at the end of this (literally had to write a note to remember):<p>

**forestreject, Sailor Shinzo: Thank you guys for reviewing and sticking through reading the fic, as well as your compliments because they really made me happy! It's always about getting the readers excited and seeing that they're enjoying it, you know?**

**L for Love: Your constructive feedback is really awesome, and though a lot of people don't do it, I appreciate you taking the time to seriously read and analyze my work! Thanks a million-and here's some virtual cookies! *showers* Oh...and sorry about the lack of romance FIVE CHAPTERS IN, but we're going to get there, I promise you! I'm mostly holding off because I'm waiting for the polls to tally up (which, by the way, OPTIMUS PRIME IS WINNING!).  
><strong>

**galita: Yes, Ratchet did chew her out...and slapped her on the head with the flashlight to the point where she blanked out. LULZ!**

OKAY, SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE TIME FOR, SEE YOU NEXT TIME! AND DON'T FORGET: THERE'S A POLL ON MY PROFILE ON WHO SHOULD BE THE MAIN ROMANCE OPTION-OPTIMUS PRIME OR RATCHET. GO VOTE IF YOU HAVE THE TIME BECAUSE RIGHT NOW OPTIMUS IS WINNING! RATCHET FANS, IF YOU WANT HIM TO BE THE STAR OF THIS FIC, GO VOTE, SAME TO THE OPTIMUS PRIME FANS!


	8. The Plot Thickens

chiv-id: Ugh...why this took so long to write, I have no idea, but I'm pretty sure I hit writer's block a couple...several times. Blagh. Anywho, please enjoy, I'm too tired to write a full introduction...disclaimer...blah-blah-blah...GRAH, ENJOY.

* * *

><p>A Fated Exchange<p>

Chapter 6: The Plot Thickens

**[**_**Centennia Logs**_**]**

_Ping-ping-ping-ping-ping!_

"What's that?" Centennia turned her head just as she released Optimus' hand, optics turning to look at the monitoring screen as she suddenly saw the horned red automaton's face appear there, along with coordinates and a signal.

"Blasted Earth tech," the red and white one now known as Ratchet cursed, checking the coordinates on the computer when he reached it, "Cliffjumper's signal popped back online."

"Who's Cliffjumper?" Miko asked, having been put up on a balcony with the other humans.

"How is that possible?" Prime skimmed over her question with his own, approaching the computers.

"It _isn't_," Ratchet replied, gesturing to the computers, "Another bug! The system's chock full of them!" However, Centennia noticed the light in Arcee's optics and the blue and pink Autobot looked to Optimus with hope.

"If there's any chance Cliff's alive…!" she began to say, but Optimus looked down at their smallest member, already nodding.

"Ratchet, prepare sickbay," the Autobot leader told him, the medic nodding, "We may need it." Just as he was about to walk off, Miko ran forward and yelled.

"Hey! What can we do?" she seemed rather excited despite the danger that was swirling around them, Centennia a bit apprehensive with this particular human…

"Remain with Ratchet," he answered, then his optics zeroed in on Centennia, a brief pause before addressing her, "You've yet to attain a vehicle mode, Centennia. And you are still on the mend. You must stay behind with Ratchet as well." Miko and Ratchet both groaned at the unfortunate circumstance, but Centennia merely nodded and began rotating a shoulder joint, trying to get familiar with the new modifications to her body.

"Autobots, roll out!" Optimus told the others as they passed through the same green-white portal Centennia had seen before, watching as they disappeared.

"What…just _happened_?" Jack asked in a flabbergasted voice, Centennia similarly impressed with the sudden magic act that just took place.

"I transported them to the designated coordinates via the ground-bridge," Ratchet explained, but the white, purple, and black automaton failed to understand a certain part of that.

"What's…a _ground-bridge_?" Raf asked, Ratchet giving a sigh and looked to Centennia, but she gave an unhelpful shrug in return. This was all new to her, having no recollection of such technology or terms. She thought that once she found someone like her, she'd have all the answers to her lost memories, but instead, it was just giving her a severe headache coupled with the foggy pain of the blow delivered beforehand.

"A scaled-down version of space bridge technology," Ratchet explained to them in an irritated manner, Centennia leaning on the balcony the humans were using as she watched, "Since we don't currently possess the means or the Energon required for intergalactic travel…"

"You're stuck here…o-on Earth," Jack figured out, a bit apologetic and sympathetic.

"With the likes of _you_, yes," Centennia leaned into his view with a warning look, her hand coming down to comfort the twins as they seemed hurt by the comment, Marleen just plain glaring at him, "But _I_ constructed the ground-bridge to enable travel here to anywhere on your planet." The twins quickly forgot their wounded feelings and perked up, echoing Raf.

"Whoa…" all three of the younger children said at the same time, Raf building upon their shared curiosity, "Does it work for humans?"

"Naturally," Ratchet preened, hands on his hips as he seemed to take pride in his creation.

"You mean I could just shoot on over and visit my parents in Tokyo?" Miko asked curiously.

"Within moments," he responded before an idea seemed to dawn on him and he leaned closer, "In fact, allow me to send you there immediately, all three of you!" Miko was taken aback at first before she put her own hands on her hips.

"Watch it, Ratchet," she warned him, then looked behind herself at Marleen and the twins, "What about them? No scary robot threat for them?"

"That's because there's another scary robot threat over here," Max laughed, hugging the hand Centennia was leaning over the railing of the balcony, the white femm laughing softly at his words as she turned to the white and red mech.

"And he'd be right," Centennia lifted her hand to massage the dent still in the back of her head, "I never _did_ properly give thanks for that…"

"You were disorientated and dangerous to yourself and others," he crossed his arms, nodding affirmatively, "I made the right choice." It was clear he wasn't going to apologize, Marleen glaring at him before Centennia put a finger on her shoulder and gave a polite and courteous bow of her head.

"Then…I offer my honest gratitude, Ratchet," she returned, giving a small smile. He was about to make a come-back statement when he went slack-jawed for a moment and blinked at her.

"…You do?" he raised an eyebrow ridge in surprise; "…Huh…you're the first." She gave an amused chuckle and looked to the twins and Marleen, putting her face close to them.

"Had I gone on a rampage, they would have been in danger," she told him, Max and Ally hugging her face again, "They are dear to me…family."

"Again with that," Ratchet came around to take her shoulder and shook a tool in her direction, "Maybe you've got a screw loose somewhere…" He led her back to the table and had her sit down, coming around to examine the back of her head as he did so. Again, she couldn't help but smile, for once feeling as though she belonged. Here were a group of large automatons who weren't going to blast her just for being in front of them. Here, she could hold conversations with the Autobots – discuss things – actually _speak_. She had so many questions that lingered, but the first and foremost was…

"Marleen…" her optics closed as she knew what was to come, "Do you mind if I ask you to take the others elsewhere? I need to discuss some things with Ratchet…privately." There was a brief moment of silence and Ratchet's hand stopped, Centennia awaiting the protest before she was surprised and opened her optics.

"…Sure…" the red-headed mother was rather quiet, unbecoming of her Centennia thought, before Marleen motioned to her children and they climbed down the ladder before staring up at the others. Jack and Raf followed their example out of respect, the twins tugging on their hands when they'd reached the ground. They'd put up less of a fight than she'd expected, but Miko was not as compliant.

"Why, whatcha guys talkin' about?" she asked curiously, but Marleen tapped the Asian girl on the shoulder and shook her head, "Awwww..." While the girl had whined yet again, Miko acquiesced and climbed down the ladder with Marleen, exiting to some other part of the base to explore, Centennia nodding her head in thanks to Marleen. With her human friends gone, she was about to turn her head to face Ratchet when he put his hands on her head and straightened it to look forward, still working on her head.

"What is it?" he asked gruffly, although it was in a softer voice.

"You looked inside my mind…didn't you, Ratchet?" she asked as he stilled his hands once more before removing them from her head, her hand coming up to touch the now undented metal. She turned to look at him in a quiet manner, serious as she stared him down. Ratchet inhaled a long breath before sighing, going over to a tall metal shelf to put his tools down.

"How did you know?" he asked, crossing his arms and leaning against the balcony that Marleen and the others were once on, "Most bots don't feel anything when in stasis."

"My head…" she dragged her fingertips lightly across the back of her skull, "For nearly a century, I've lived with the pain. And now…it's gone." Her optics were looking at the ground dimly before she flicked them up to Ratchet, tilting her head towards him.

"Just because I repaired the damage doesn't indicate that I infiltrated your mental processes," he defended himself, crossing his arms tighter.

"I'm a very good judge of character, Ratchet," Centennia stood up as she responded with an airy voice, hands on her hips, "You're thorough, not the type to leave any stone unturned. And through your own words you've revealed that despite the limited tech you have to work with, you do very well for yourself." She turned her head to the ground-bridge before back at him.

"Besides, I overheard you when you were talking to your leader," she gave a small coy smile and Ratchet blinked before snorting, almost having fallen for the dupe most likely, "…You said that you found almost nothing, but there was something…'data packs' I believe you said…"

"Yes…" he turned and pulled up the scanned data packs he retrieved from her mind on the computers, "They're too small to be your real memories, but they're a start. I've managed to find that you need a special frequency and a Cybertronian key of some kind, though I'm not able to tell if it's a phrase or perhaps a numerical code that is required to unlock it. The frequency will be easier…"

"Why would this be in my mind?" she came up behind him, staring at the garbled Cybertronian letters that she could not read, "And _if_ they're not my real memories…what are they?"

"That's what we're going to find out," Ratchet turned to look at her, his optics serious, "The Decepticons, though conniving and without mercy, sunk to an all-time low when they were using the Cortical Psychic Patch to remove your memories. They might have been trying to ensure data erasure of something important, such as a plan, or perhaps to keep your silence. They may have even been trying to find this heavily-guarded information that you still have now."

"…I'm afraid to ask you such a bothersome thing, but what are Decepticons? What are Autobots? And why, if we're all of the same origin, persecuting each other?" she asked, switching her attention to Ratchet as he addressed her.

"Why would _humans_ attack other _humans_?" Ratchet went past her as he fumbled around with some of the technology that was lying around the room, "You've lived long enough on this planet. No matter who or what they may be, conflict is a common concept to all forms of life. For those who come from Cybertron, as you and I do, our source of conflict was the control of our planet. One side, the Decepticons, wished to rule Cybertron with an iron fist, with a mech named Megatron at its helm. The other, the Autobots, wanted to prevent this." Centennia absorbed the information easily enough, comparing it to the civil wars that she had witnessed herself.

"Would you be able to uncover my affiliation from my past years?" she pressed further, the questions flowing from her, but Ratchet held up his hands after putting the machine he was carrying down.

"Now, there's only so much we can do here," Ratchet answered, lowering his hands as she backed off, "We have Decepticons to fend off and another mouth to feed now that your systems have been converted back to its original Energon-dependent state, though it'll take a while before you're going to get used to having that back in your circuits." Centennia felt a bit let down at this, but she understood. It was the same with having to protect the Lavenders, putting them before herself. This was the same as she lifted her head to look at him, giving a nod as she left her answers behind her, at least until there was another time she could bring it up.

"I understand, Ratchet. And thank you," she gave another warm smile and, "I appreciate you for doing all of this…I'm sure I'd have been long gone had it not been for you. I owe you my life." The medical officer paused and look away, bringing his arm up and checking something as he did so, seeming almost embarrassed if she didn't know any better.

"Oh…if you need any help with this equipment…" she gestured to the scattered debris still littering the area, but he shook his head, "Then, I'll be bringing back Marleen and the others. Don't hesitate to call me if you do need assistance." She gave a small bow of her head before departing, leaving the mech to his own devices as she walked away to search for them. Centennia had never really interacted with those of her own kind, so she decided that though she was hit, operated on, and had most of her parts mixed and switched, her second meeting with them went better than when they were about to kill each other during the first.

**[AUTOBOT RECORDS]**

"…" Ratchet watched her saunter off, closing the scanner on his arm as he was finished 'pretending' to look at it. Though he very rarely postulated on anything, preferring something concrete rather than immaterial, he guessed that she was made in the generation just before Bumblebee, or maybe even one of the late ones born during Prime's era. She carried herself with the same battle-weariness that he'd seen Optimus show from time to time, most likely from a century of caring for the small organic beings, yet there was an unmistakable warm feeling that one basked in when she was feeling in the mood for such camaraderie.

"Hmph…" he gave a small doubtful scoff as he went back to work, trying not to think too hard on the subject. She had still yet to prove that she could be trusted, as far as he was concerned. Too many lives had been lost for the luxury of trust to be so easily given…

"We're back, Ratchet~" Miko said in a sing-song voice and Ratchet gave a small groan before turning, raising an eyebrow ridge when he saw that Centennia had given each and every one of them a seat on her body. The twins, Max and Ally, were situated atop her now asymmetrical head, the boy grabbing onto the spike of the Decepticon helm while the girl was hugging the scratched white metal of her original helmet. Marleen was being carried in Centennia's right palm while Jack, Miko, and Raf took both of her shoulders, looking as though the automaton was infested with the fleshlings. Needless to say, he found it a rather strange and odd sight, though he did understand that Centennia wasn't very shy when it came to humans.

"You miss us?" the Asian girl asked as Centennia let everyone down onto the ground, "And what is this anyway?" She started to walk towards one of the machine parts he was currently trying to organize and he waved her away while he moved towards her and the computers.

"Broken. Don't touch," he told her before starting to work again, then noticed out of the corner of his optics another attempt, "Don't touch that either!" He likely expected them to somehow detonate the base should they try to manipulate the machinery in the long-been-used missile silo, trust also a privilege these new humans had to earn.

"Is there anything in here we _can_ touch?" Jack asked, but a new error popped up on the computers and Ratchet sighed, tired of having to fix everything in the base.

"How come you guys are using _human_ computers?" Raf asked as Centennia put him on the balcony, Ratchet's disgruntled face showing as he switched his gaze from the error to the human boy.

"It certainly isn't by choice," the red and white Autobot grimaced, "It was handed down by the previous tenants when we inherited this former missile silo. I make modifications as I see fit." Ratchet pressed a button and suddenly, the multitude of screens were covered in error messages, hearing a couple of giggles behind him and glaring at the red-headed twins when he turned around. They squeaked and hid behind Centennia's helm before the white femm grabbed the two of them and set to chastising them lightly, even nudging Marleen who was similarly trying to hold in a fit of laughter.

"I think I can fix that…" Raf offered and sat down with his laptop, starting to do something that Ratchet couldn't really see being that both he and his device were so small.

"_Really?_" the medic asked in a doubtful and mocking tone, "You know this is _complex technology_, don't you? I mean, it isn't a child's toy…" Rafael finished whatever he was doing and looked up, Ratchet still rather cynical of the boy's optimism.

_**[Centennia Logs]**_

"Now try," Raf spoke hopefully, gesturing to the computer. Ratchet typed in a sequence code and suddenly, everything seemed to be normal much to his astonishment. He did a double-take as he looked back at Rafael who was suddenly being excitedly pestered by Ally and Max, swarming him and congratulating him on 'one-upping the meanie'. Centennia came and even rubbed Raf on the head with a finger, the boy pushing lightly at the digit with a smile on his face.

"You're quite knowledgeable for a boy of your age, Rafael," the white, purple, black automaton complimented, her optics looking at the laptop as Ratchet gave a small grumble and turned away, "Do they teach such skills in schools these days?"

"No, I've just been able to understand digital code since I was three," Raf shrugged and was about to close his computer when Miko and Jack came up the ladder, now interested as well.

"Wow, can you hack? And if you can, mind getting me that A in English?" Miko asked, peeking over Raf's shoulder at his laptop. Jack was about to pull her away and say that it was wrong when Ratchet suddenly heard Optimus' voice coming from the computers, urgently.

"_Ratchet, bridge us back!_" he yelled, "_Use the arrival coordinates – now!_" Ratchet hurriedly punched in the coordinates as requested before running to the ground-bridge switch, turning it on and watching as an explosion of blue fire came roaring down the portal. Centennia quickly covered everyone on the balcony as the rest of the Autobots drove hard back into the base, Optimus having to transform to escape the explosion and flipping as Ratchet shut down the ground-bridge. He landed safely enough, his shoulder plates relaxing once the danger had passed, and Ratchet breathed easier as he saw they'd returned safe. The rest of the kids who had seen it, despite Centennia's cautionary covering, all 'wowed' at his entrance.

"Cutting it a bit close…how about Cliffjumper?" Ratchet's question seemed to quiet the others, making them look down in defeat and he too looked away, disappointed and heavy-hearted. Centennia looked to the signal Cliffjumper had been broadcasting at one point or another and found it to be gray and unresponsive, her head bowing down in a similar show of respect.

"What was that explosion? Was there a fight? Can I come with next time?" Miko interrupted the brief silence, causing nearly everyone to cringe with her questions. Arcee came up to her from behind Optimus, her optics narrowed and Centennia putting a hand cautiously over the Lavenders.

"_Ugghhh_…look – !"

"…H-Hey, hey, Miko, uh, let's go see what the bots hide in their sock drawers," Jack suggested, luckily pulling the oblivious Asian away from the obvious sad atmosphere permeating the room.

"Seriously?" she asked in disdain, Jack pulling her over to Centennia who let them climb onto her body, escorting the rest of the humans out of the room as she decided that it would be rather awkward if she listened in on the conversation. Though she'd been invited to and accepted to join the Autobot ranks, she wasn't as close-knit with the others nor had she known this brave red Autobot who had gone in to fight the Decepticons single-handedly. Thus, it wasn't her place to listen in on the private musings of his close friends. However, Miko pulled on her misaligned helm to stop her in her place, Centennia giving a small look before she turned.

"Arcee, what did you see?" Optimus asked, Centennia watching as the once spunky and rather irate blue and pink motorcycle turn despondent and sorrowful.

"Not Cliff, at least, _not anymore_," she spoke quietly, holding herself, "He was mutated – _butchered_ – like something from those 'Con experiments during the war – _g-oohh_…" She fell to the crate and Centennia reached a hand out before the cries of the humans hanging on her reached her, causing her to compose herself. Bumblebee similarly tried to assist her, but she waved him off.

"I'm fine! Just…dizzy," Arcee didn't seem to even have the strength to stand, causing some worry amongst her male companions. The children all threw in their questions, Centennia looking at Marleen and the twins as they silently asked the same of each other.

"Robots who get dizzy?"

"Robots with emotions."

"Robots…who can _die_." It was Jack's last statement that had everyone on their side of the room silent, the other human children turning to look at the Lavenders before looking at Centennia. Jack himself seemed to have understood that fact from the moment he and Marleen were talking about who was on the table not half an hour ago, Centennia unsure of what to say to them in that instance. The twins surprised her when they clung to her neck components, the white, purple, and black femm putting a hand around them in a comforting gesture as she watched the others help Arcee onto the crate for examination.

"_Mmm…hmm…_what is this?" Ratchet asked in a grave voice as he located something of importance, Centennia's optics scrutinizing what exactly they were talking about.

"Don't know…Cliff was covered in it," Arcee replied, putting her hand on her helm, "…_Leaking_ it." Centennia watched as Ratchet scraped something purple off before holding it up in the light, Centennia's optics catching a glimpse of it before…

_**Bazzrrrttt-klick-klick-klick-bvvvrrrttt…**_

"Whoa, Centennia, are you okay?" Centennia blinked as she found Max climbing on her face plates, recoiling enough to make the boy almost lose his grip. She quickly put her free hand to her face to make sure he was safe, taking him off before staring at him in bewilderment.

"Max, that was dangerous, what were you trying to – "

"You freaked out! You scared Ally and Mom!" Centennia looked around and found that Bulkhead was holding Miko and Jack, Bumblebee holding Marleen and Raf, and Optimus was straight in front of her, taking hold of Max when he was done while Ally remained in his other hand. The Autobot leader looked down at her with a concentration that she felt could have pierced her mind.

"Are you all right?" he asked in a deep, gravelly voice, Centennia rooted to the ground as she tried to remember what had happened after seeing the purple substance. She narrowed her optics, darting and shaking within her chrome-plated face, remembering her entire vision darkening into a deep violet hue…then nothing.

"…I apologize, I still seem to be suffering from some mechanical errors," she mumbled, bowing her head before turning, "Perhaps a quick recharge should help me…recover…" Optimus, however, put his hand on her shoulder and spun her right back around, optics serious.

"You no longer need to rely on the sun for energy," Optimus helping her to remember before gesturing to Ratchet who was trying to hurriedly log something into the computer systems, "And you should have yourself checked by Ratchet again." Centennia took a small breath before putting a hand to her helm, glancing at Max then at Marleen, trying to make sure they were all right as she began to feel a dreadful feeling creep into her circuits.

"…What have I done?" she asked, now grasping at her helm with a tight grip.

"Your eyes…they went all weird," Ally pointed at her, then wiggled her fingers in front of her own eyes, "And you started saying weird stuff, too. Like…you were a zombie…" She scrutinized his actions before the white and red Autobot spoke up.

"It's not 'weird stuff'," Ratchet argued from his stationary post, still typing as he addressed everyone else, "_That_ was a Cybertronian cypher. This…whatever Arcee was afflicted by triggered some sort of reaction in Centennia's data core, possibly from those data packs I was scanning earlier. This will give us a greater chance at unlocking them now. However, I don't dare recommend we put her through that again, not if the cypher overwhelms her core and completely incapacitates her. I'll also need to re-scan her data packs to see if anything has changed after that episode."

"Agreed," Optimus nodded before turning to Centennia, stepping aside so that he could gesture to her, "Your only orders from here on out are to remain with Ratchet and keep watch over our human charges when they are here in the base." Centennia was about to argue, but when she cast her gaze over Max, he seemed almost afraid…not of her, she could only hope, and she let the protest die in her throat.

"Understood," she resigned, taking Max and Ally from him before taking Marleen from Bumblebee, "I apologize for the scare…I hadn't known that I would become so…"

"Weird?" the twins clarified before Centennia coughed at the word, a bit embarrassed.

"Disoriented," she corrected, the new Autobot femm taking a small breath inwards as she stepped towards Ratchet, "Until the time comes when I'm needed, I shall remain here as requested." Optimus nodded before Jack started to raise a fuss, Centennia going over to Ratchet as he dealt with their 'curfew' problems.

"I suggest you take a seat on the operating table, Centennia," the medic seemed to still be busily cataloguing new data, "And don't worry, though you'll be online during the procedure, I have taken precautions to avoid any pain, I assure you."

"A comforting notion, Ratchet," she gave a wry smile before lying down, putting Marleen and the twins back on the balcony before doing so, "Is that a customary option you give to all your patients or is it a luxury, because as I recall, I had neither the assurance nor the warning when my head was given a prior 'examination'."

"Don't test me, Centennia, I have the knowledge to increase pain sensors over 150% in any area of your body," he turned around and shook the end of a cord at her, Centennia giving him yet another smile as she continued to pester the bot. He seemed the type that was fun to tease, she surmised, watching as her own amused look seemed to infect him and he gave a scoff before smirking.

"Though your own strange sense of humor may very well immunize yourself against such threats," he came over to her and was about to put the cord's end in the back of her helm when she felt a strange twitch…

**[DECEPTICON ARCHIVES]**

"Maybe you should take a break, my lord," Starscream advised, rather expectant of Megatron's dismissal of his claims of having finally rid Earth of Prime, "I worry that too much contact with the Dark Energon might allow its properties to…adversely affect you." The large glowing center of the room shone a sinister dark violet light upon everything, Starscream himself feeling a bit drained from even being near it, though it laid behind a protective case. He was skeptical of Megatron ever bringing it here in the first place, though the dead Cliffjumper that was brought back to life did clear his doubts of it being powerful. However, it was a dangerous thing that he could not fathom, nor could Megatron it seemed, having spied his lord 'talking' to the crystalline formation.

"Or perhaps, Starscream…I have not permitted myself contact _enough_!" the commander was startled and panicked when he saw Megatron savagely rip a piece of the dangerous material from its original source, holding it in a way that seemed as though he were to…

"Wait, Lord Megatron, no! Not your spark chamber! You do not know what it will do!" Starscream watched in horror as the leader of the Decepticons suddenly plunged the shard directly into the center of his chest, the purple aura causing him to spasm and roar, sent into a sudden growling and painful transformation as it began to engulf him…

**[AUTOBOT RECORDS]**

"Hold her down! Her electro-pulse and brain waves are spiking, hard!" Ratchet had managed to fix a monitoring hose directly into her spark chamber, every Autobot trying to keep Centennia still as her body shook and convulsed in a violent manner, "We need to stabilize her!"

"What's going on?" Max cried, Marleen hugging him and Ally as they watched with terrified eyes, tears streaming down their face as they could only witness the seizure-like state of their friend.

"Ratchet, what is happening?" Optimus asked, using all his strength to keep her shoulders down.

"Her body, it's rejecting the Decepticon grafts!" Ratchet clamped an injection tube full of Energon onto her arm, "Or maybe it's the data packs! I can't be sure, but whatever is happening, she won't last another minute of it!" Her optics had turned completely purple and her mouth was oozing a purple miasma, Arcee remembering the dizzy feeling and finding it similar to the one produced by the fog.

"She's leaking it, the same stuff Cliffjumper had!" she yelled, already feeling some of its effects.

"Until she stabilizes, we can't stop!" Ratchet countered, though he was coughing as he tried to swat away some of the poisonous fumes.

"Autobots, hold your ground," Optimus ordered, shutting his optics as she spewed more of it. Bulkhead nodded and had her feet, Arcee and Bumblebee handling the arms, while Ratchet tried to pinpoint the problem to fix it.

"_…Tccchhhhh…aaakkzzz…_" Optimus looked at her when he heard the static noise, Ratchet waving his hand.

"Intermittent static, her vocal processors must have –"

"_Transform…and rise up!_" though her voice was still full of static, they all clearly heard the words and were stunned into silence, Centennia's own body stilling.

"…_All hail…MEGATRON!_"

* * *

><p>chiv-id: AND END. The conclusion of another chapter and...this is still even more confusing than the last. Well, the title of this chapter IS "The Plot Thickens", so I hope this satisfies...or maybe even mystifies the rest of you as to what is happening now. Or, if you're smart, you know all this crap and I'm just wasting your time. OTL Anywho, the amount of votes I've received for the poll was a LANDSLIDE for Optimus, so the romance is staying the same. I know there's a lot of banter between Ratchet and Centennia, but that's only because he's the only one around. Everyone else is off on missions, so she will be staying with him for a large amount of time. DON'T WORRY THOUGH, I WILL KEEP MY PROMISE AND MAKE SURE THAT IT'S OPTIMUSXOC. Thank you everyone who reviewed, I value them a lot, and I will see you next time on A Fated Exchange. <strong><em>DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW PEOPLE. THERE ARE FEWER REVIEWS HERE THAN ANYWHERE ELSE ON ANY OF MY OTHER STORIES, AND I THINK THIS ONE HAS A LOT OF PROMISE, SO DON'T MAKE ME REGRET MAKING THIS DAMN THING.<em>**


	9. A Deeper Connection

chiv-id: AH MAH GOD GUYS, HOW LONG HAS IT FREAKING BEEN? TOO LONG? YEAH F*CKIN' RIGHT IT'S BEEN TOO LONG! LOL But yeah, now that the excitement is out of the way, welcome to a new chapter of A FATED EXCHANGE! School has been a b*tch and I honestly can say that I am going to ENJOY my vakay so much! So, without further ado, get to reading! It's a long one, so be prepared and make sure to have a beverage at your side!

Oh, and **feedback**:

**fgag5u745uy, agvaou: YES, HERE'S ANOTHER CHAPTER! BE HAPPY!**

**agvisbou: Whelps...read on and we'll see!**

**Jeanette Hetfield: IKR? Holy sh*t I nearly cried at that season finale because it was awesome! High five for a badass season finale!**

**galita: Prayers have been answered, read on!**

**Blue Rosabell: Thank you very much for reviewing!**

**Sailor Shinzo: HERE'S YOUR CHAPTER, ENJOY!**

**Random117860: That was neither a comment nor a criticism...reviews are fer reviewin' buddy. But I'll take it as a sign that you like it, LOL**

**kukuioPunk: Thanks! And I'll be looking forward to your reviews in the future!**

**Jibby: Baw thanks for the compliment! Enjoy the story!**

Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers or anything except my characters and story, Hasbro owns everything else. Sad face.

**UPDATE: THIS ACCIDENTALLY GOT REPLACED BY PROLOGUE TWO, NOTHING CHANGED, I JUST F*CKED UP THAT'S ALL.**

* * *

><p>A Fated Exchange<p>

Chapter 7: A Deeper Connection

**[DECEPTICON ARCHIVES]**

"_Aaaahhh…_" Megatron could feel it, the power of Unicron, surging, winding, pulsating throughout his entire frame. It was beyond anything he'd ever felt before…yet there was a spark of familiarity that coursed as he let the excited feeling settle.

"…Ahaha…Lord Megatron," he could hear the uneasiness in his second-in-command's voice, but Megatron continued to stare at the Dark Energon structure before him, something speaking to him.

"It's as if the blood of Unicron the Destroyer…flows through my veins!" he brought a hand up and flexed, "As if…I hear his very thoughts! And…_aahhh_...another's…" Megatron turned his head slightly, his optics shedding a slight purple hue as he sought for that spark that he could feel just on the edge of his consciousness. Once he found it, he seized it, the mind within his grasp seemed to spasm in his grip as it struggled against him.

"_**I found you…**_" he uttered in a triumphant yet grave voice, "_**You will not escape my grasp again…recite the oath, and perhaps I'll be lenient...**_" Suddenly, another voice intercepted his concentration and the tenuous connection snapped, causing him to lose control and it disappeared from his mind's gaze.

"…My Lord?" Starscream seemed to be confused by his actions, but Megatron just gave a frustrated growl, shaking his hand before clenching it again. She'd been so close…so deliciously close, and to feel her fragile existence quivering in his servos, it was undeniably intoxicating. Yet, there was so much confusion and fear as to his presence, one that originated from unfamiliarity rather than dread and expectancy. Could she really have forgotten? No, she couldn't have. Not after what she had done…not after what they'd been through. And he hadn't expected that much delectable fear in the first place, not from her…

"I will have another chance…once I strengthen this power, she'll be within reach yet again," the leader of the Decepticons turned his gaze back to the Dark Energon and he plucked yet another shard from its source, hearing the same voice that had interrupted him coerce him into another action, "I now know what to do…"

"Ahh…and what can I do to assist you, _master_?" the jet bowed low before him and Megatron was tempted to smite him where he stood. _She_ would never have cowered…oh the lack of backbone he'd chosen for a second-in-command.

"Quit groveling!" he ordered, though it only made the gray Decepticon dip lower, "And await my command…" He walked out of the room with the shard in hand, his grip tightening on it. The recapturing of his…_interest_ would have to wait, but when he mastered its power better, he would be sure to visit her yet again.

* * *

><p><em><strong>[Centennia Logs]<strong>_

"_**I found you…**_" the voice growled at her, chilling her to her core, "_**You will not escape my grasp again…recite the oath, and perhaps I'll be lenient…**_" She was lurking in the darkness, her processors in severe pain, as if someone were digging blades into it, sending her into spasms and convulsions of a violent nature. It hurt…_so much_…she had to do as he said, but who was he? Who was it that was asking this of her? And what oath? Suddenly, a small vision was sent to her, from the same source as the pain: a room of dark intentions and secrets, a sharp and claw-like hand ripping at her chest and shoulders, tearing, scraping, gouging…before it began rewarding her with a loving stroke against her cheek. She was pained beyond belief, yet she had smiled, hugging the owner of the hand as if all was right with the world. Then words…_transform and rise up…all hail…MEGATRON!_

…

"…Cent…Centennia…Centennia, _can you hear me?_" her optics flickered on when she heard Ratchet's voice, a bright light flashing into her white optics the only thing she could see at first. She jolted, but she was held down by something, and she looked around frantically as she recoiled from the bright light. The intense squeezing was gone, and so were the darkness and the vision she had received. She remembered all too well, however, as the pain returned in throbs…

"_Ghhh…haahh…_what…where…?" she breathed, trying to break free of the bonds when her vision returned to her, Ratchet pulling away to reveal that the rest of the team had come and now had their hands bolting her to the table.

"You had some sort of malfunction when I was about to give you a maintenance check," Ratchet put the flashlight away and nodded to the rest of them, everyone but Optimus drawing back, "She's not a threat anymore, you can – "

"What did you see, Centennia?" his optics were digging into hers, feeling his gaze pierce her helm yet again as his fingers squeezed her shoulders, "What happened?" Ratchet stayed quiet, everyone else doing the same, watching Optimus interrogate her. Centennia was inhaling and exhaling at an increased rate, her torso rising and falling as she tried to remember, but the occurrence was slipping from her mind, almost like sand through her fingers.

"…There was someone…" the terror in her vocal processors was enough to confirm something for Optimus and he released her, "A voice…a terrible voice…and a memory of something long ago, but I can't…I can't…" Never had she been so struck by fear, a paralyzing fear of something she'd never encountered before. It wasn't quite the voice that had her frightened, although it was disturbing enough, but an undertone that something darker lurked beneath, something far worse than anything she could possibly imagine. And it was this _thing_ that sent her into such a frenzied state that worried her, glancing to Marleen and the twins who were looking back with wide and alarmed faces.

"Someone…please…I'm unfit to be their guardian at the moment and I just…" she bowed her head and shuttered her optics, mouth set in a firm line as she gave a lamenting breath before whispering, "I just want them to be safe…"

"It's all right," Optimus spoke and she looked up just as he put a hand on her helm, surprising her, "Until we can have you fully examined, I will be remaining here with Ratchet to keep you monitored. Your human charges are safe as long as I am present, I promise you this." Centennia's optics were trembling slightly, still shaken by the events before tilting her head down and nodding, her pain getting the better of her. The throbs were still pulsating at a raw pace, but it only got worse when she tried to remember the experience between herself and the mysterious male (she assumed male) force.

"Uh, hello? Human charges can speak for themselves," Marleen answered sassily, causing Centennia to groan silently, knowing that the red-headed human tended to get bossy and snarky whenever she wasn't being heard, "I wouldn't leave you, Centennia, you know that. And as much as I hate it, the twins would never leave you either, not even if the world was about to fall apart." The white, purple, and black femm was quiet before chuckling, lifting her head to smile at them with a hand on her cheek.

"Just as strong-headed as your mother Marleen," Centennia turned away, "However, should things go wrong, be sure to keep yourself and the children safe."

"That's a given, Centennia," Marleen replied, before Jack and the others waved.

"O-Optimus, I'd hate to bug, but…no bars," he held up a cellphone as the others went about their business, Bulkhead coming over to Centennia with a raised eyebrow ridge.

"Psstt…hey, you all right there?" he asked in a hushed voice, Centennia giving a small tilt of her head and scrutinizing him a bit, "Second time I had to hold onto ya there."

"…You…were at the canal," Centennia shook a finger at him, remembering when she'd began to lose consciousness, "And thank you, I wasn't quite myself, but it seems that the moment has passed. I am Centennia, although it seems everyone already knows who I am."

"Name's Bulkhead," the green Autobot put a closed fist on his chest, the metal echoing dully amongst the walls of the room, "Warrior Class. Wreckers."

"A pleasure to meet you Bulkhead," she courteously bowed her head, then gave a small embarrassed cough, "I'm sorry that I could not give my own information…"

"It'll come when it comes," the big bot shrugged his shoulder plates before giving her a serious look, "Hey…you remember what you said back there?"

"…Some sort of oath?" she remembered the voice gutturally demanding this of her while in his hold, her optics shuttering.

"Yeah, _Megatron_'s oath," Bulkhead responded quietly, optics narrowed, "Leader of the Decepticons." Her optics widened and she visibly froze, her parts creaking at the sudden stiffening before she eased up slightly, though she wasn't at all relaxed about the news. She was a smart enough femm and could draw the dots, looking up at Bulkhead in slight dismay.

"…I am a Decepticon…" she didn't ask it as a question, but said it as a statement, Bulkhead bowing his head slightly to search her face, "Or…at least was, at some point…am I right?"

"You remember?"

"…No, I don't…but I can understand where the conversation is taking its course. Have you cast your judgment on me?"

"Hey, I'm not judging you. Being a Decepticon, though…it raises some pretty serious questions. And we're not in a position to be letting those Decepticon airheads catch us with our afts out in the open."

"…Do I seem like a Decepticon?"

"Well…no. Decepticons are pretty ugly, and by choice. So…you're the best-looking Decepticon I've seen, actually, heh. They're the worst sort to hang around with, and who knows what sort of evil plan they've got hidden on their ship…no offense."

"None taken. And thank you for the compliment –"

"_**If**_ you two are done _humming_ at each other, I'd like to finish this one's maintenance before we have any _other_ problems at hand, _thank you very much_!" the irritable medic suddenly appeared between them and forced Centennia and Bulkhead apart, surprising both of them. When they looked at each other again, Centennia put a hand over her mouth and began to laugh quietly, Bulkhead scratching his head in embarrassment.

"Bulkhead," Optimus called the large green Humvee over to the humans and Bulkhead gave a small tip of his head to Centennia who merely waved him good-bye in return. It seemed that the three other human children were worried about 'curfews', to which Centennia knew that it was a parent's ploy for keeping their offspring within range when the sun went down. Often times, Marleen instigated this on Centennia and the twins whenever they went into a town for supplies, so she had quite a bit of experience with the custom.

"Centennia, I'm going to induce stasis for this part of the procedure," was the only warning she received before she felt the familiar drowsy effect and her vision once more darkened, "You and your family are going to be…_just_…_fine_…"

* * *

><p><strong>[AUTOBOT RECORDS]<strong>

"Optimus," Ratchet was settling Centennia back down on the table before he had called the Autobot leader over as soon as everyone had their reassignment, "What are your orders?" Centennia's human charges were watching their every move, so he had to be cautious.

"…We will not turn her away. Nor will we bar her from her human family," Prime responded with a tone of finality, walking to Centennia's table and looking at her, "If she was a Decepticon in her previous life, she has shown a clear and driven will to remedy her mistakes."

"Optimus, I know that you want to save as many as you can, but she recited _his_ oath!" he took Prime aside, turning his audio dial down, "And that miasma she leaked, it's the same as the goo that Arcee brought in! Whoever she is, she's more involved in this than we had originally thought. And that might not bode well for us if Centennia does happen to get her memories…after all, she could still be completely faithful to him if she – "

"Ratchet," the red and blue semi cautioned, Ratchet realizing that he'd been getting louder and louder during his musings and now Centennia's family was glaring at him, "There is a risk, that much is for certain, but until she shows signs, we are allowing her and her humans sanctuary." The medic took a deep breath in before sighing, putting a hand to his face, optics shuttered to the point where the metal was creasing.

"For the first time in a long time, Optimus…I hope you know what you're doing…" Ratchet turned his attention back to the femm, plugging the neural patch into her cortical access point. Prime remained quiet before he turned to Marleen and the twins, coming over to them.

"I understand you wish to remain here, but it is best if Ratchet is left alone during the procedure," Optimus watched as Marleen gave a small nod before leaving, the Autobot leader turning back to see the medic watching with skeptical optics.

"How fortunate that they listen to _you_," he grumbled as he checked her mind, finding that nothing had really changed, much to his frustration, "The female parent was a pain in the – "

"_Ratchet_," Optimus had to calm his friend down yet again and the white and red Autobot merely gave a small grunt before letting it go, having noticed something strange.

"What is this…?" Ratchet whispered in thought, Prime catching onto the doctor's interest and watching closely as Ratchet once again had her chest plates open, a small scalpel reaching in to delicately nudge at a few wires that were out of place with the rest of her metal anatomy. Ratchet's optics followed the wires he had somehow…_missed_ before and lost track of them as they disappeared into her abdomen. He gave a slight snort, finding it impossible he could've missed such an irregularity, even while performing a risky and hasty surgery.

"Energon veins running in such an irregular configuration, no wonder she was having trouble redistributing energy efficiently," he tapped a wire and was surprised when a metal clang was heard, his finger picking one up and holding it to his optics, "…!" There was a clear and glassy sheen to the wire, making it hard to see, but once he examined it closely, he saw that it seemed to disappear in the light. He would've given a triumphant bark if there wasn't such a serious atmosphere. Ratchet knew that he wouldn't have missed anything; after all, he was one of the best. Prime only watched as the doctor dissected Centennia carefully, picking his way through her abdomen with careful caution, eventually making her into a mess of wires as he pulled them out.

"I've found over 60 of these smaller wires and that's only the ones I've found in her abdominal cavity…" Ratchet let out a puff of warm exhaust, worn out slightly from the tedious work he had set himself to, "They're layered in some sort of rare alloy, probably from Cybertron…but this is the first I've seen of it, and the first I've seen such extensive rewiring done on anyone."

"Can you determine the reason for it?" Optimus asked, taking a seat on one of the crates nearby and watching. When Ratchet started becoming serious regarding his work, it was best to stay out of his way, having learned from many years serving with the gruff bot. The medic took a single wire and began to follow it, his fingers nimbly delving between nodes and digging through her circuitry delicately, eventually finding a small nook where one of his digits slipped through. Curious, he hooked his finger inside, a small switch flicking on and causing him to recoil when Centennia's body suddenly lit up, small dots of impossibly bright white light blinding both bots' optics.

"Ratchet, what is happening?" Optimus asked, getting up as he slid his battle-mask on, thinking that something even worse than Centennia's odd seizure from before was about to occur.

"Some sort of passive defensive mechanism," Ratchet put one hand in front of his face and tried to find the switch again, but they died down and he was met with a soft hissing sound, "By the Allspark…" There, just below her engine, was something that should have been near her spark chamber: the T-cog module. What allowed every Cybertronian to transform, what allowed them to take alternate forms, all the ingenuity and special abilities imbued to them from their creator, Primus, was in this module. In a normal Cybertronian, though, the T-cog would have been located in her chest, an abnormal case…one they had gotten familiar with within the second half of the war on Cybertron.

"To think that we'd see one here on Earth…" Ratchet gravely muttered, a hand placed over his mouth as he thought over the recent discovery, "But why would a _Mutant_ be sent _here_, of all places?"

"Perhaps she was apart of a spacefaring battle…or sent to secure the Energon deposits ahead of time for the Decepticons," Optimus guessed, a hand reaching out and touching the T-cog gently, "Her existence, however, suggests she was of a much greater importance to the Decepticon cause…_or Megatron…_" He went quiet for a few seconds, both he and the medic pondering over the mystery. Optimus had fought many Mutants in the war's last cycles, Megatron founding an alliance with the belligerent Underworlders and allowing them to gain T-cogs of their own in exchange for their brutal fire power. However, there was only one he particularly remembered, his spark squeezing out of both fondness and ache in remembrance. Looking at Centennia had reawakened the old memories and it took a certain amount of will to keep himself focused on the task at hand.

"…It would explain the detail and work put into her…this is state-of-the-art remodeling, the best I've seen since the Golden Age on Cybertron," Ratchet examined one of the wires again, twisting it slightly so that it would disappear then reappear again, "He would have spared no expense if she meant a great deal to him…" They became quiet as they began to draw options, ideas, from what this could mean.

"Somehow, he reached out to her…_personally_," Optimus started, looking down at Centennia's peaceful sleeping expression, again reminded of the same Mutant.

"Extensive and most likely expensive body work that only Megatron could afford to give…" Ratchet hovered over her as well before both of the bots looked at each other, "Optimus, she couldn't be…I mean; I understand Megatron is still a mech like the rest of us, but…"

"Megatron would not do this for just any femm, Ratchet," the Autobot leader stood up to his full height, optics zeroed in on Centennia, "It would seem we are in the presence of someone in Megatron's elite circle...on par with Starscream or perhaps Soundwave…maybe even more."

* * *

><p><strong>[<strong>_**Jack's Journal**_**]**

"Anyway Arcee, I'm sorry, but we really have to establish a 'don't freak out Mom' policy here," Jack told her while they were racing down the highway. It had been a day since they'd first been brought to the Autobot base and Jack and Arcee were already forming a bond. Reportedly, Miko and Raf were doing the same with Bulkhead and Bumblebee, the six of them becoming closer and closer with each passing moment.

"Jack, I've been living here for a long time and I haven't been discovered by humans until yesterday. Trust me, stealth is what I do best," Arcee roared her engine and they went even faster, Jack giving a whooping yell in joy before she slowed down a bit.

"W-whoa-hey, Arcee, what's wrong?" they eventually came to a rolling stop, Jack touching his feet back on the ground when he was about to fall over.

"Sorry, just got a lot on my mind…" she started her engine again and they resumed their drive, Jack giving a worried look as he leaned a bit to look at her front.

"…About Cliffjumper?" he didn't want to pry, but losing a friend, a _partner_, seemed like a big loss and he just wanted to make sure that she was okay. Robots with emotions, right?

"And that new femm that's in our base…" she clearly stated, Jack getting back into his normal position while settling in for a listen, "We should never have let her in."

"You mean Centennia? C'mon, she's not that bad. I mean, yeah, she did that weird spazzing thing yesterday, but she saved us twice!"

"We know _almost nothing_ about her, Jack," Arcee sped along a straight narrow road before it curved, leaning and taking Jack with her, "And the few things we do know don't look good. A former Decepticon, involved with that stuff Cliffjumper had…I don't trust her, but Optimus said that after Cliffjumper's death, we needed more members. It's like he's _replacing_ Cliffjumper with _her_! _Everyone_ was replacing Cliffjumper with her!" He could feel the hostility in her voice, almost afraid since he was riding her at the moment, and tried to come up with some words, something to ease her feelings.

"Hey, I'm on your side," Jack shifted his shoulders as they came out of the turn, "But from what I saw, they're just as broken up about Cliffjumper as you are, Arcee…so saying that kind of stuff, I don't know, I might be overstepping my boundaries, but it's sort of unfair."

"…" Arcee didn't reply at first, making Jack nervous. She was probably deciding whether to make him road kill or bird food in the desert.

"How about we go for another half hour, Jack?" she finally responded, completely surprising him by the mild tone she was giving him.

"R-Really?" he asked, ecstatic over getting another period of driving.

"Yeah, it'll give me time to cool my head," she suddenly revved her engine and they went shooting off, Jack giving a loud yell of joy as they disappeared under a tunnel.

* * *

><p><em><strong>[Centennia Logs]<strong>_

"_…Centennia? Centennia, can you hear me?_" she could hear Ratchet's words floating above her somewhere, "Hmph, maybe too much sedative…" Centennia's senses slowly came back to her: the feel of the cold metal operating table under her backside, a slight clinical smell that was beginning to become all-too familiar with her, and the taste of her own Energon. It was a bit of a nauseating feeling as the room spun for a moment, causing her to shutter her optics in response

"Any sedative is too much sedative, doctor," she groaned softly, her optics opening again to look at Ratchet who was hovering over her with a wrench, her vision coming last, "And if you have any intentions with that wrench, I'm sure Marleen will have a fit when she comes back." This ended in a pained, yet gentle smile that Ratchet huffed at before putting the mechanical tool aside.

"Well, you were awakening during the middle of the more painful part of the procedure, the sedative was necessary," he nodded his head and Centennia got up slowly, sighing with the corner of her mouth upturned.

"Everything seems necessary with you, Ratchet," Centennia swung her legs over the side of the table and gingerly tried to stand up, wincing when there was a slight pain in her abdomen, "Hmm…the midsection this time?"

"Necessary," Ratchet was at a table, examining something under a large microscope while he waved his hand at her questions, "Now go over to the full-scan chamber, we need one last final statistical report." She was curious as to why he was in her abdomen, but she supposed it was most likely a routine check of her engine, the only thing she knew was in there. Centennia made her way to the circular chamber he motioned to and stood in it, a bit anxious as it began to glow in a cyan-blue light. Then, sets of metal prongs closed over her, a small and brief period of panic running through her before she took a breath and calmed herself.

"Where is Marleen? And the twins?" she ventured, the doctor typing something into the computers before he looked back at her.

"In another part of the base, exploring," he reported in the briefest of terms, "And before you ask, Optimus is off patrolling while the others are on guard duty for the three other human children." She raised her eyebrow ridge slightly, Ratchet giving a small smirk.

"You're not the only one who can assess others in such a quick manner," he turned and continued his bit of work while Centennia gave a small laugh. It was so strange, to find herself conversing with one of her own when but a few days ago, she believed that she would be doomed to forever have her identity remain a mystery, and worse yet, that she would always be hunted down by her kind. Now, so easily, she laughed, spoke, and walked among them without so much as a thought. Perhaps it was the fact that she found others like her, those that cared for humans, that caused her to momentarily forget where she was and the circumstances in which they were in. However, Centennia did understand that they were still strangers to her and her family, and she still held a brief pause whenever she began to ease into her friendship with the Autobots. This was more or less sound advice, considering that her history was now becoming questionable in their optics as it seemed as though she was once a Decepticon, their mortal enemies.

"We're more alike than I had thought, then," she looked over at him after her reverie, thinking he would share in the joke, but he seemed to go quiet at the admission, sinking into deep thought before he awoke and looked back at her. The air of casual camaraderie disappeared, making Centennia feel more than a little cold from the sudden change in mood.

"Now, from what we've gleamed from your T-cog's schematics, you have the ability to choose a flying form," Ratchet spoke, coming over to her with a small pad and tapping a few things in it, "And I've assembled a list of a few vehicles and aircraft schematics that will be compatible with your form that Fowler should – " Yet, before he could finish, there was a small clang that they both heard and they looked in the same direction. Something about that noise set off a small alarm within her and she tried to exit the chamber, only to have the metal clasps stop her.

"…As I was saying, Fowler may have a few for you to choose from, though convincing him might take – "

_**CLANG-CLANG-CLANG**_

"…Ratchet, let me out…_now_…" she could feel a certain prickling of danger in the air, the atmosphere turning deadly quiet and the metal clasps on her body only making her more aware of how vulnerable she was. At her behest, he pushed a button that released her and both of them looked around the room when she was freed.

"…Optimus?" he asked before a sudden cacophony of metal twangs echoed in the air, created by some small metal claw that was running at them at a fast pace, "By the Allspark!"

"Ratchet, move!" she yelled, pushing him so that they sprang apart, the small metal beast pouncing at the air between them before turning to look at both robots. After surveying the two of them, it suddenly leapt at Ratchet, crying a mechanical growling scream as it tried to attack the doctor. Centennia raised her right hand to her back, but when her whips didn't deploy, she looked behind her in confusion, finding that they were missing.

"Ratchet, my weapons, where are they?" she asked, giving a small grunt when she jumped out of the way of the creature's flight path, the little terror trying to take advantage of her distraction.

"I had them removed so that you wouldn't harm yourself or the others!" he shouted back, wielding his wrench against it, then angrily shook his fist at it when it cut one of his other lab tools, "I needed that!" It quickly slapped away Ratchet's wrench when it got the chance before it prepared to throw itself at the doctor.

"Ratchet!" she sped towards him, managing to put herself in front of it and holding a hand out in an attempt to stop it, but once she did, the creature halted for a moment. Frozen, she and Ratchet stared at it before staring at her outstretched hand. Once she lifted her gaze from the creature, however, it rose up and sprang towards them as if nothing had changed, causing both of them to raise their arms before a bolt of blue shot it out of the air. Optimus Prime, his gun barrel still extended, nodded his head towards the two of them before raising his foot and crushing it, ending the short-lived beast's life.

"And _stay_ broken," Ratchet warned before settling against his table, a bit worse for wear while Centennia leaned against the table with him, "Now what could have caused _that_?" And more importantly, Centennia stretched her hand out, why did she feel some sort of connection with the monstrosity? It had stopped when she threw her hand out, as if obeying her, but only for a moment. It was as if she were remembering a long forgotten friend…but she knew that this was not the case.

"I have a grave suspicion," Optimus replied ominously, staring at the broken wreckage, "_Dark Energon_…" She wasn't quite sure what the name truly meant, but the stunned look on Ratchet's face was enough to throw up her guard. The Autobot leader grabbed a glass cylinder from the table and scooped the broken contraption into it, sealing it in a pipe as he continued.

"If the residue on Arcee found on Cliffjumper brought your broken equipment to life," he closed the lid of the containment pipe on the dead machine, "It would stand to reason that the very same substance brought Cliffjumper…back from the dead." Ratchet moved away from the table, now engaging in the discussion seriously.

"That would account for his life signal inexplicably coming back online," Ratchet nodded and shook a finger slightly, his optics glancing to Centennia, "And it would also explain…" He stopped and Centennia lifted her head up a bit straighter, now aware that the two of them had _indeed_ found something during the examination before. What could they be hiding…?

"But _Dark_ Energon? It's so scarce as to be virtually nonexistent…what would it be doing on Earth?" Ratchet had a quizzical look, and Centennia could only look between the two, trying to glean some information from the conversation.

"It was transported…by Megatron," Optimus answered darkly, his optics narrowing and his hands clenching into fists.

"For what purpose?" Centennia came away from the table and crossed her arms, continuing to listen, understanding the gravity of the situation though not its contents.

"To conquer this planet by raising an army of the undead," her optics widened at Prime's admission, her gaze going back to the pipe where the dead beast laid. Earth had a term for the undead…_zombies_. Strictly speaking, they were myth, fiction, science-fiction for geeky emo-goths and horror fans. George A. Romero was one of Max's favorite horror film directors and she would have to stay up with him to make sure he didn't scare himself while watching all the zombie movies.

"_Well_," Ratchet's skeptical scoffing brought Centennia's attention back, "Megatron will have to break _quite_ a few toaster ovens – I mean, _where_ on this world would he find that many Cybertronian dead?" Just then, the Autobot-human pairs rolled in, everyone talking excitedly and dissipating the serious and dark mood just before. Centennia greeted the humans with a smile and waved, Jack coming up to her first.

"Hey, you're back on your feet," he crossed his arms, Rafael adjusting his glasses while looking up, "Congrats on getting better! And uh…I never did thank you for saving me and Raf, what with all that crazy stuff yesterday so…just wanted to say thanks."

"Me, too! Thanks, Centennia!" Rafael chimed in, Miko following the boys' example after getting her guitar.

"You got to get some butt-kicking action, too? How come I never get to come with?" she made a sad pouty face, Centennia giving a small smile at all of the kids' words.

"You are welcome, Jack, Raf," Centennia kneeled down to get a better look at the black-haired youth, "And it is dangerous to be in the middle of a 10-megaton wrestle between aliens from another planet, Miko." The Japanese girl gave a small huff as the boys laughed before Optimus stepped towards his group, catching everyone's attention.

"Autobots, prepare to – " he paused and looked at the children before back at his team.

"Roll out?" Arcee finished, but Optimus changed his mind, looking to Ratchet.

"Remain here. Ratchet, you'll come with me," he ordered, the medic nodding and giving the small pad he had earlier to Centennia.

"Here, you may choose a model from the ones that are on this pad," Ratchet informed her before walking over to the ground-bridge controls. Looking through the options, she continued to glance at Arcee and Optimus who were arguing over the assignment change, seeing as how it was the medic who was going into the field rather than the fighters.

"Ratchet, bridge us out," Optimus' final words reached her and she refocused on the present, watching them walk through the green-white ground-bridge to their destination before disappearing. She could surmise from the previous conversation that they were most likely investigating the battlefields of the past, but her current focus was on the selection Ratchet gave her. Indeed, there were a few schematics of various vehicular modes as well as alternate aircraft forms, Centennia's optics widening at the choices. In all her years on Earth, it never ceased to amaze her how humans could progress in such a small amount of time, watching as carts became wagons, wagons into automobiles, and now into various cars of different make and models.

"Okay, chief, what's on the activities' list?" Jack asked, Centennia looking down at him before at Arcee, having overheard that Prime put her in charge. The motorcycle rolled her optics before pointing them directly at Centennia, the still-yet-to-be-finished femm returning the look with a raised eyebrow ridge.

"Did Ratchet find anything else about you?" Arcee asked unpleasantly, crossing her arms while Centennia continued to scroll the pad's selections, "Or are you just as clueless as ever?" The sarcasm wasn't lost on Centennia as she decided that the young (at least maturity-wise) Arcee wasn't worth the time to verbally contend with at the moment. Besides, it was starting to make both of the male Autobots and the three human children rather uncomfortable.

"Clues we have, answers we don't," Centennia flicked her finger across the screen and eventually came across a particularly appealing vehicle, "And even someone as _clueless_ as me can hear the hostility in your voice, Arcee…a modicum of respect would be appreciated, given our previous circumstances." The quiet reprimanding caused Arcee to lift her head slightly, as if recoiling, before she glared at Centennia for the added comment. Centennia remained unfazed under Arcee's fierce look as she handed the motorcycle the pad she was holding, the blue-and-pink femm fumbling with it before staring at the screen.

"Decepticons normally choose aircraft, you know that right?" Arcee responded, Centennia feeling her burn holes in her backside with her optics as she entered the full-scan chamber. To be truthful, Centennia could feel that Arcee wasn't exactly as welcoming as her other compatriots, and she didn't expect her to be. Suddenly having a new member after her partner was killed, Centennia knew that Arcee felt as though he was being replaced, but Arcee had another thing coming if she thought that Centennia would take the insults without a fight.

"Noted, Arcee," she acknowledged briefly before she shuttered her optics, hearing the machine whirr and buzz in its effort to give a complete statistical report of her current status.

* * *

><p><strong>[AUTOBOT RECORDS]<strong>

Bulkhead watched as Arcee fumed, turning to Bumblebee who similarly shrugged before both were shoved as she walked past, mumbling something about Bulkhead being in charge and taking Bumblebee on patrol. It didn't take a Cybertronian with an I.Q. over 1000 to see the sparks fly between the two femms, though it left the large green automaton to wonder what exactly caused them. He and Bumblebee were used to Arcee's sarcasm and sass, but Centennia who apparently wasn't quite familiar with being talked to that way took to slinging back her own rebuttal. Bumblebee looked at Bulkhead before leaving, giving a rather pitiful 'help me' look coupled with a depressed techno-whine, which Bulkhead sympathized with. Arcee usually kept her thoughts to herself when she was thinking about something, but when femms fight, they always want some-bot to agree with them, take 'their side'. And most likely, Arcee was going to gab and complain Bumblebee's receptors off on their patrol.

"Bulkhead, you're in charge," Arcee assigned him to temporary leadership just as she left the base with Bumblebee, nervously turning to the kids as they stared back at him, feeling rather caught off-guard with the new position.

"So, uh…what's on the activities list?" Bulkhead re-used Jack's phrase when an audio receptor-splitting screech was heard, everyone turning to Miko who was plugging in some sort of strange stringed-instrument, servos and hands over their heads to block out the sound.

"How about…band practice?" she suggested cheerfully and the twins bounded over to her in absolute excitement, Marleen sighing and deciding to take a seat far away from the speakers, but making sure to keep the little ones in sight. Bulkhead turned to the scanning chamber that Centennia was still using, the ring of lights only just past her helm as an indication that there was still much to be done. Great, stuck on his own with the fleshies…he didn't hate humans, but he didn't particular like them either, and his inexperience along with his clumsy large frame was sure to be a recipe for disaster. At least Centennia was used to being around them, and knew how to interact with them without making their heads pop.

"But we're not a band," Raf retorted as he pressed his hands over his ears, wincing.

"Why so antisocial? C'mon Raf," she walked over to him, "You play anything?"

"Umm…keyboard?" he held up his computer and the twins giggled, apparently getting the joke that Bulkhead didn't.

"Laptop and samples, good," she gave a satisfied response before looking at the eldest of their group, "Jack?"

"I…sometimes mess around on the harmonica," he scratched the back of his neck in an embarrassed gesture as he ended his words hopefully before Miko returned with a frown.

"Do I look like I do country?" Miko sarcastically asked before waving her hand, "Just cover yourself in fake blood and jump around screaming." Max stared at Miko in excitement before looking at Ally.

"Fake blood…_coooollll_," he whispered in awe, Ally sticking her tongue out in disgust before Miko pointed at Bulkhead, to which the green Autobot was a bit confused as to what exactly was going on. He still had yet to master Earth's customs, words, and culture.

"Bulkhead! Percussion!" Miko pumped her fist, making him blink, "We'll go for a big industrial sound. Aaaaannnddd…kids get to be with Uncle Jack." Max ran over to Jack excitedly while Ally frowned before she raised her hand, waving it to get the Asian girl's attention. Bulkhead watched the small little mess unfold before his optics and looked between Centennia's half-finished scanning and Marleen dozing off where she was, probably tired from having to take care of the twins all the time. Reminding that they were leaving him, the largest and most clumsy Autobot of the force, pretty much alone with the children. Again, the nervous tick he felt crept into his servos, making a finger twitch and his optics twinge.

"Yeah, you, what?" Miko pointed at her, apparently not expecting much from the little girl.

"I wanna sing!" Ally crossed her arms, apparently not liking what she was saddled with.

"Sorry kid, I'm the lead guitarist _and _singer. And I go solo," Miko jerked a thumb over to Jack with a smile, "Why not go join your brother? It's like arts and crafts without your mom." She whispered the last bit watching Marleen's even breathing before winking.

"No, I wanna sing!" Ally continued to protest angrily, throwing a small fit. Miko groaned and swung her guitar to her back as she kneeled.

"Look, we're not playing dress-up dolls and princesses over here," she held a fist to Ally with a serious face, "The name of the game is Death Metal, and unless you can belt out screams and wails for 4 minutes, I seriously doubt you'd wanna be the singer." The red-haired girl pouted for a while before replying, Bulkhead slapping a servo over his face when Ally began screaming at the top of her lungs, surprising Miko and knocking her on her back.

"Jeez kid, quit it!" she shouted back, Marleen waking up and coming over to take control of the situation.

"All right, enough young lady!" Ally zipped her lips faster than Bulkhead could react, the little one turning to her mother ashamed, "And you! You are NOT doing what I think you're doing." Max was ready with a can of red paint he found stashed amongst the debris in the room, Jack looking a little uncertain as the boy was beginning to pry open the lid. With his mother around, however, the boy froze and hid behind Jack in an effort to seem as though he was innocent of whatever she was accusing him of.

"That's what I thought…now play nice with the big kids, all right?" the two of them droned out a 'yes' before Marleen sighed and walked back to her comfortable resting area, drifting back to sleeping as soon as she hit the chair she found.

"…Anyway…DIY, we're a band!" Miko shooed Ally who sulkily accepted her role as a blood-covered groupie, Max finally prying the lid of the red paint can open and dipping a hand inside, slapping one on his face before doing the same to Ally, "You just gotta learn the songs. This one's a ballad: 'My Fist, Your Face'!" As soon as Miko was done talking, she immediately began to play her guitar; the twanging dissonance making everyone put their hands on their ears and audio receptors. Bulkhead looked over to Marleen to see if she'd come and save the day yet again, but it seemed the woman was only tuned in to her children's wailing, not a guitar's. Just as Bulkhead was about to say something, the alarms began to go off and he waved his hand at Miko to get her to stop.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" he managed to get her attention and she looked at him in slight disappointment as her fingers left the strings of the guitar.

"Come on, you can't handle raw power?" she asked, despite the green alarms flashing.

"Proximity sensor! Quick, hide!" Bulkhead stayed still as they ran about his feet to get behind him, but the twins were still too busy flinging the paint at each other, Marleen seemingly knocked out for the moment. It was none other than a displeased and as-usual-irate Fowler that came down the elevator, face drawn in angry consternation.

"Prime!" he yelled as he gripped the yellow handrails, looking around to only find Bulkhead and the two children from before, eyes narrowing at them.

"Agent Fowler! Uh, he's not here! N-Nobody's here!" Bulkhead looked down as the two twins waved at Fowler with a silly grin on their faces, "Except me and them, of course…" He kept his feet as still as he could, though one of the children behind him kept peeking out, so he had to shuffle to keep them from being seen. Why couldn't they just stay still?

"Well, where did he go?" he asked, refocusing on the green Autobot, "Wait, don't tell me, he's out pancaking a mini-mall! Now I don't know what kind of language you bots speak on your planet, but Prime promised he would handle the Decepticons! And blowing a crater in the middle of Nebraska is _not_ what 'handle' means in English! So you tell Prime – " All the while Fowler was talking, Bulkhead's shuffling began to strain the cord connecting Miko's guitar to the speaker, making him look down occasionally in worry as it began to make noise. And when Fowler finally took notice of it as it began to interrupt him, Bulkhead tried to keep the children hidden as best he could.

"Since when are you bots electric?" Fowler glared at Bulkhead as he straightened to his full height, seeming to sense that something was wrong. And as the construction bot tried to scrounge up a convenient tale, the children walked out from behind him, caught. Max and Ally waved at them cheerfully as they continued to paint themselves.

"Hey…how you doin'?" Jack asked with a sheepish shrug of his shoulders, Fowler's unmistakable grimace meaning there'd be trouble now.

"Contact with _more_ civilians? Team Prime has _really_ gone off-book this time…" Fowler put a hand on his hip before looking between the new group of children and the red-headed twins still playing, "Wait, don't tell me: you're running a daycare center!" Bulkhead remained quiet as he continued to try and think of a way to explain all of this, but Jack managed to break the silence.

"Yea-we're interns!" the boy said unconvincingly, swinging his arm to try and sway Fowler.

"Student interns!" Raf helped before looking back at Jack for help.

"Earning extra credit in – autoshop!"

"Robotics!" Miko tried to pitch in, but wound up saying something different from Jack, Bulkhead wanting to just whisk them away to flee from that little vein arising in Fowler's forehead.

"Okay…let's move," Fowler walked downstairs to get to them, Max and Ally standing up and walking over to the three older children when they felt that something was going down, "I'm throwing all of you into federal custody, for your own protection. Where's your mom, you two?" Just as the twins were about to answer, Bulkhead raised his foot to separate Fowler from his charges, startling everyone, even Marleen who awoke for a few seconds before returning to sleep.

"We're protecting them," Bulkhead finally managed to say, narrowing his optics at the federal agent.

"Is that so?" Fowler asked in a defiant tone before walking over to a phone located nearby, "Well maybe you can explain that to _my_ superiors at the Pentagon!" Just as he was about to call them, Bulkhead rushed in with a finger to stop Fowler.

"Don't use that phone, it's – " Bulkhead accidentally crushed the poor electronic with just a simple nudge of his forefinger, Fowler looking at it before at the green automaton, "Out of order…"

"This isn't over, big foot! Not by a long shot!" the African-American agent angrily stormed up the stairs and exited the base, Bulkhead shaking his head as he realized he just landed his entire team in more trouble than they needed at the moment. However, as the twins came and hugged his leg, smiling at him goofily while thanking him, he came to resenting the moment a little less than before.

* * *

><p><strong>[Fowler's Reports]<strong>

Aliens. Making a mess on _his_ planet? Putting _civilians_ in _danger_? Not if he could help it. Fowler got more than he bargained for when he volunteered being the liaison to these behemoths, intending to put them in their place, but it wasn't easy. Luckily, he was a determined man and the agent wouldn't abandon his responsibilities over a little quarrel like this! Sure, they were larger than him in size, but the spirit of the good ole USA was twice their size, and Fowler's devotion to her was even greater than that. He crossed his arms as the elevator took him to the top of the base to his helicopter, trying to figure out a way to pressure Prime into releasing the children and one mother. When had they even had the time to start collecting all of these kids? Shirking on their Decepticon duties, no doubt…

"Sir? Agent Fowler!" he reported in as he took off in his helicopter, "We have a situation! I'm en route from the Autobot base! I'll brief you in person!" He never realized that this transmission would get him into trouble of the worst kind…

* * *

><p><em><strong>[Centennia Logs]<strong>_

_"…Scan was incomplete…"_

_"…Seriously?"_

_"…Knows our location…"_

Centennia could hear an argument going on, the diagnostic scanning machine finally finishing its rounds with her and ceasing the constant humming noise that practically made her deaf to the world. She felt the prongs twitch before they slowly opened, the fembot stepping out to stretch as she saw everyone huddled around Raf. Max and Ally ran over to Centennia before bringing her over to the group, stressed and a little worried about some matter.

"Is something wrong?" she asked calmly, Bulkhead looking up to explain.

"Looks like the 'Cons might've got that agent you saw before, Fowler," he stood up and began traveling to the ground bridge controls, "And since he knows our location and I'm the only one combat certified, I gotta go save him…" The giant green bot seemed more than displeased with having to rescue Fowler, but when she realized what he was implicated, she stepped forward.

"My condition is not so severe as to hamper me physically now. Allow me to provide you with some assistance," she offered, but he put his hand up to stop her.

"No, Ratchet would have my aft if he knew I took you out before you were 100% functional," he turned to Raf when the boy began to read out a set of coordinates, Centennia looking on as he punched in the numbers before walking towards the ground bridge, "Just stay here with the kids and I'll be back with Fowler as soon as I can. Uh…you're in charge." He ran out before she could get a word in and sighed before looking down at the rest of the children.

"Well, I guess we have the run of the place…" Jack shrugged again, but as he looked to his left, he seemed to notice something and began looking around, "Miko?" Centennia similarly began searching the place, unable to find the familiar streak of pink anywhere.

"Miko?" Jack called out and Centennia walked around, trying to see if she was hiding.

"Maybe she's in the bathroom?" Max asked before Ally looked at the ground bridge and tugged on his sleeve to make him look in her direction, "…Uh oh…" This they said in unison to get everyone's attention before pointing at the fading green-white vortex.

"W-Wait, wait, you don't think she's…" Centennia looked at Raf who was now almost near hyperventilation, "What should we do? Bulkhead may not have even realized she followed him!"

"Miko hasn't seen the constant action like we have…she has no idea," Jack muttered darkly and Centennia came over to them, the intelligent hacker managing to work a bit of his magic on the computer.

"Those are the coordinates; their destination is still locked in!" Rafael managed to say, Centennia approaching the empty ground bridge tunnel.

"All right then…no choice," Centennia narrowed her eyes before looking at Jack and Raf, "Open the ground bridge. I'm going after them."

"You're not going alone!" Jack began to climb down the ladder and ran up next to her, her white optics pointing down at him in understanding, "You're not fully recovered yet!" Max and Ally similarly ran up to her, but Marleen had finally awakened and pulled them away, Centennia nodding to her thankfully.

"We don't know what's on the other side of that ground bridge, Jack. And if it is infested with Decepticons, then it would only serve to put you in more danger than necessary. I will bring Miko back so Bulkhead can concentrate on Fowler," she told him before focusing on Raf who nodded and typed in a few commands, the vortex reopening upon his actions. She saw her whip attachments off to the side and quickly snapped them to her back, shifting her shoulders to get used to their weight again.

"That might be true, but Miko might be going through the same thing, we need to help!" Jack retorted and hopped onto her foot, gripping a jutting piece of metal tightly. She looked down at him before sighing and picking him up, placing him on the platform besides Raf.

"Calm yourself…I'll have her back safely before long," she assured him before nodding to Marleen and dashing off into the vortex. Centennia only hoped that it wasn't too late…

* * *

><p><strong>[Marleen's Diary]<strong>

It was disconcerting to see Centennia just throw herself back into the fray like that, but Marleen knew that nothing she could say would make the fembot back down. She had a bigger family to protect now, including her Autobot friends and the new children that joined them. Her eyes went to the two boys who looked at each other before climbing down the ladder and running towards the…the…

"HEY, WAIT!" the woman realized she'd been had as she was reminiscing about Centennia, watching them break into a run towards the still open ground bridge. No sooner had they reached the first few rings of the tunnel did they disappear, and so did the vortex and green-white light. She put her hands to her head as she tried to think of what to do.

"Mom, someone's calling on the thing!" Max and Ally pointed to the supercomputer where Arcee's voice was ringing out, asking for assistance. She ran to the control panel, but once there, she was dumbfounded on how to use any of it. If only her husband were here…at least he knew how to use computers…

* * *

><p><em><strong>[Centennia Logs]<strong>_

"You're not my mom!" Miko whispered at Centennia who was hiding next to Bulkhead, crossing her arms and turning away. She had managed to hide behind the rock the both of them were next to before any of the guards could see them, but she didn't want to be there any longer than they needed to. Centennia needed to get Miko back before something terrible happened to the girl, and she had seen too many people have their lives taken from a cross-fire between Cybertronians to let it happen to her.

"No, but I am someone who cares for your well-being! Raf and Jack should be able to – " as soon as the words left her mouth, the two boys emerged just as the rift closed, causing her sigh heavily, "What do you two think you're doing here?" Before any of them could say anything, a loud voice rang out from the top of the ship, Centennia narrowing her eyes as the gunmen pointed down at the two boys.

"Scrap," Bulkhead and Miko said in unison. Centennia couldn't have said it better any other way.

* * *

><p><strong>[OPTIMUS PRIME – PERSONAL DATA]<strong>

"For the first time in my life, Optimus…I had hoped that you were wrong," Ratchet uttered quietly as they surveyed the gruesome junkyard, littered with the bodies of their dead ancestors and comrades. Time had chipped away their armor color, rain had made their metal gain rust, and dirt covered most of their bodies as they laid strewn about the ground, not even given a proper burial. Then, a gigantic roaring of an engine echoed in the valley, the leader of the Autobots and his trusted medic looking up to see Megatron streaking above them before landing on a peak not too far from their position.

"Optimus! Been well?" the megalomaniac Decepticon asked loudly in mock-camaraderie, extending a clawed servo to Ratchet, "I see you brought your trusty watchdog! I was certain he'd be…convalescing in a scrapyard by now…"

"Why don't you invite him down here for a _chat_?" Ratchet asked menacingly, bringing his servos up to bang a fist into his palm.

"And what of your newest member, Optimus? To think that she wouldn't be at your side at this hour…" Optimus had to narrow his optics at his rival, wondering what he was talking about, "…Hahahahaa! Has it been that long, old _friend_?" Megatron sneered the last word, the sarcasm and disdain not getting by the red and blue automaton as the sound echoed around him.

"You haven't realized it yet…this is too good to be true!" the steel-colored Decepticon continued to gloat, "And here I thought we'd have one last reunion before I sent you to oblivion! Well, it won't matter soon enough. Your time has come to an end!" As Megatron pulled a large shard of Dark Energon from his person, Optimus prepared himself. The mystery faintly tickled his processors, but it would have to wait until he and Ratchet were both out of this predicament, watching in horror as the dead began to rise from their graves.

"Rise my army!" he commanded, raising his arms as his armor began to leak an eerie purple light, "Behold the power of DARK ENERGON!"

* * *

><p>chiv-id: AWWW YEAHHHHHHH, ANOTHER CHAPTER DONE! So, how'd you like that you guys? Loads of stuff covered, and we finally introduce OPTIMUS' personal point of view. 'BOUT TIME. So pretty much, Prime's just wondering what the f*ck Megatron's on about and Centennia is pulling her nodes out by the plugs with these kids. THEY'RE GONNA BE THE DEATH OF HER. But yeah, chapter over, gotta get started on next one, cross your fingers it'll be quick! <strong>AND REVIEWS PEEPS, REVIEWS!<strong>


	10. Conflicting Classification

**chiv-id: See, NEW CHAPTER, with new installments eventually making its way within 2 weeks! YEAH, PLANNING AHEAD! Ahhhh, Transformers, my one true nerdy love in life, LOLOLOL. Anyway, ummmm, lots of Prime story covered in this one, so we're up PART 4 in the Darkness Rising miniseries of the beginning!**

**...F*ck me, not that far into the actual series then. GOD D*AMN IT, SO MUCH CRAP TO WRITE ABOUT! Giving me an aneurism the size of PSY's Youtube popularity...**

**DISCLAIMER: Don't own Transformers, Hasbro does, only the story and original characters be mine. KAY READ!**

* * *

><p>A Fated Exchange<p>

Chapter 8: Conflicting Classification

**[**_**Centennia Logs**_**]**

"Jack, Rafael!" she yelled, shielding her optics when Centennia saw flashes of red exploding around the two human boys, "Hurry Bulkhead, the children! I'll cover you!" Bulkhead stood up and transformed around Miko, the fembot jumping out first and pulling her whips out to deflect the shots as they came while Bulkhead swerved down to pick up the boys. She managed to keep them busy as she saw Bulkhead escort them to safety before a shot caught her on the shoulder, making her give a startled cry as she was forced back by the blow. She eventually made her way back to the rock with the others holding her scorched joint, scraping the paint as she pressed herself against the cover. Jack was huddling over Rafael, clearly worried about the smaller boy's safety, while Bulkhead remained in vehicle form.

"Hey, y-you okay?" Rafael asked in a stuttering voice amidst all the shooting. She pulled her hand away to show it sparking somewhat, but nothing she couldn't manage. She nodded to assure him before rolling her head to the side to take a glance at the firing squad atop the ship.

"I'll protect them!" she told Bulkhead, recoiling when a blast hit too close to her face, "Bulkhead, retrieve Agent Fowler!" His carriage nodded and he floored it, swerving out of cover to drive underneath the Decepticon ship and away from the blasts.

Meanwhile, Centennia turned to look at the two…two?

Oh no…where was Miko?

She turned to look, noticing that the Decepticons weren't firing at them anymore and saw Bulkhead battling them, who was winning despite being outnumbered. And just beyond the tinted windows was a stringy tail of pink and black whipping around wildly in the cab, much to Centennia's exasperated dismay.

"Aaaaand she's gone again," Jack muttered in an annoyed tone, though the little blue, black, and pink blob that Centennia managed to see after he was done finishing off one group of Decepticons assured her that she was at least safe with Bulkhead. He disappeared soon enough and Centennia gave them a very disappointed look, Rafael cringing slightly while Jack sighed.

"I admire your courage, Jack, Rafael," she moved her body lower to converse with them, "However, I had hoped that you would have stayed at the base, you are in grave danger here!"

"But she's a friend! We needed to –"

"No buts, Jack. We will wait for a few more minutes, but we must leave as soon as we – OOF!" Centennia felt an explosion blindside her, slamming the surprised automaton against the rock. She looked over at the new Decepticons that reappeared around the corner, despite being dazed and wounded in that shot. She managed to grab the handle of one of her whips and move in front of the boys, but another well-placed blast to her head sent her down to the ground.

"Centennia!" she could hear Rafael cry before he gasped, her optics slowly shuttering as she saw a claw reaching in to grab both her and the humans.

**[**_**Jack's Journal**_**]**

"Bring them to the brig. Commander Starscream is keeping the other human there," the leading Decepticon mentioned, dragging Centennia's body like a corpse while the other held Rafael and Jack. They'd been captured on the outskirts of the valley where the Decepticon ship was, the patrolling group having caught them off-guard and snuck up to incapacitate Centennia. When she fell, Jack felt his heart sink at her defeat before getting picked up roughly by the enemies. The older boy nodded at Rafael, noting the valuable information, but he couldn't help but stare at Centennia. The femm's unconscious head loll to the side, a few spattering drops from the corner of her mouth making him feel uneasy. She couldn't be dead…could she? He looked back at Rafael who was watching her with the seemingly same look of worry, to which he had to nod his head and give a small smile to placate him. This was his fault…if only he'd stayed at the base with Rafael, none of this would have happened…

"_Centennia_…" Rafael tried to whisper, but the Decepticon just squeezed him to keep the small boy quiet, Jack straining in its hand when he saw Rafael wince. Then a loud roaring echoed in the halls to the left of them, and Jack managed to turn his head fast enough to see Bumblebee and Arcee drive straight into the Decepticons, knocking them flat and sending him and his friend flying.

"Whoa!" they both exclaimed as Arcee managed to catch them, Jack smiling at his counterpart Autobot while Rafael rejoiced with his.

"Appreciate you clearing the front door for us, but storming the Decepticon warship was not on the activities list," Arcee reprimanded them with a small smile, Jack huffing as he caught his breath.

"Tell me about it!" he retorted before looking over at the mismatched femm still lying there, "Centennia! Hey, wake up!" He ran over to her, Rafael following him close behind as he tried to get her to move. Bumblebee came over and knelt by her, Arcee standing by as she watched for anymore patrolling Decepticons.

"We got ambushed outside…they got her pretty bad," Jack explained, Bumblebee tilting her face and noticing the Energon leaking from the corner of her mouth. With a few whirrs and beeps, the yellow scout bot picked her up in his arms and carried her carefully, nodding to Arcee before jerking his head. Jack noticed the downward glance she gave at the unmoving fembot in Bumblebee's arms, almost annoyed like he was with Miko, knowing that this was only making matters worse between the two female automatons.

"Right, let's move," Arcee replied curtly, rushing down the hall while he and Rafael ran after them, Bumblebee a bit slower because of both his size and his new charge. Jack continued to look up at Bumblebee and Centennia when he had the chance, though he couldn't for long since there the floor hard large cracks and jutting angles, but he was definitely going to apologize to her later. Soon, they managed to meet with Bulkhead, shouting safe words so that they wouldn't blast each other.

"Brought the kids, huh? _And_ the new recruit?" Arcee asked in an admonishing tone, but Bulkhead merely brought his hands up, along with Miko.

"You try getting them to stay behind!" he retaliated, Bulkhead looking down at Miko exasperatedly.

"We need to find Fowler and get these kids out of here," Arcee redirected the conversation to the mission at hand, Jack glancing at Rafael as they smiled slightly. Even though they were caught, looks like they'd been helpful after all, finding a small sense of satisfaction within it before Jack looked at Centennia again, who'd paid a price for trying to escort them back home.

"Uh, he's in the brig," they both told the Autobots in unison.

**[Fowler's Reports]**

"My dear Agent Fowler, you do realize the Autobots have abandoned you," the sicko with the metal heels and glowing red eyes came before him again with a chuckle, Fowler moving his head slightly to look at the smug jerk, "I am the only one you can rely upon now. So tell me what I want to know or…" The villain brought the prod again, the thing that had been Fowler's source of pain for what seemed like ages. The 'Con mentioned something about Energon and humans not mixing well together, and Fowler agreed with him in his bitter torment, the tortured man trying to edge away from it.

"Please…no more," the agent weakly replied, feeling beaten as he began to speak, "They're in…a secret government base."

"Go on…" the silver 'Con moving in closer to listen, "What of its members? I've come to understand there's a new recruit amongst them…a _fembot_?"

"Ugghhh…" Fowler winced as he felt the detestable robot put a hand on the chains that he was suspended on, "Yes…she's…new…she has a human…family…"

"Mmm, yes, her weakness," the large arrogant automaton released Fowler's chains and he sighed, squeezing his hands into fists as he tried to get the blood running through them, "Let me guess, her name is…_Killjoy_?"

"…Killjoy…?" Fowler's positively confused answer made the 'Con stop in his tracks, turning to look at him, "Her name…they said…_Centennia_…" Fowler reared his head back away from the winged automaton as he came close to his face, almost as if he was trying to ascertain whether Fowler was lying or not. Then, the robot put the same intrigued and smug look back on his face.

"Interesting…more," the conceited robot tried to elicit more answers from Fowler, and the man was about to speak when a sudden firefight seemed to echo outside. It caused the secret agent to pause before looking back at Starscream who was similarly distracted.

"Yes? And their base?" Of course, the explosions from beyond the door made Fowler realize that help was on the way, his voice becoming much stronger.

"In the old steel mill…or was it under that carnival fun house?" he ended his words with a smirk, and the 'Con gritted his metal mouth in annoyance and frustration, Fowler crying out when he was hit with the electric prod. He saw it coming, but Fowler's tormentor saw fit to give him the maximum dosage of Energon, making him black out almost immediately. The last thing he remembered seeing was the 'Con's smirking face…

**[**_**Jack's Journal**_**]**

It was madness. So this is what it felt like to be in a battle…specifically a battle between 60-foot-tall robots armed with guns that expelled blasts the size of elephants and swords that could cleave through steel in a nanosecond. The Autobots and their counterpart humans had encountered two patrolling guards at the same time while on the way to the brig, and suffice to say, it was chaos. Bumblebee had to rest Centennia on the ground on her right side in a corner, so Jack tried to keep Miko and Rafael together as they avoided the pounding footsteps and stray Energon shots, heading to her body. When they reached her, they safely hid by her, using her as cover since her unmoving form was perfect as a shield.

"This is why we shouldn't have come here, Miko!" Jack yelled over the fighting at her, the Japanese girl crossing her arms and looking away.

"Then you shouldn't have followed me, Jack!" she yelled back, Rafael merely keeping his hands on his ears while they watched. A singular blast struck near them, causing their ears to become deaf, the only sound they could hear being a distinct ringing sound. Jack pulled Rafael and Miko into a crouch and pulled them back when a Decepticon head clanked its way towards them, sliding against the wall next to Centennia. He hated not being able to do anything…not being able to defend himself. The fight was just too intense and he didn't want to be here. He didn't want to die.

"…_It's all right_…" a voice murmured, the black-haired boy looking up in its direction and noticing Centennia's body finally moving. Her head tilted slightly as she opened her optics, a hand slowly and gently coming to shelter them.

"Don't move, it will be over soon," she told them, keeping him, Miko, and Raf close to her as her white optics narrowed and dimly darted to the side to observe the fighting.

"Thanks Centennia," Jack replied before coming a bit closer to her, "And I'm sorry you got hurt. If I hadn't…" She flicked her optics back over to him before the rims of it curved slightly, giving a gentle look.

"If you hadn't you wouldn't have been able to know where Agent Fowler was," she gave a small smile and Jack looked at her, surprised, "Well done, Jack. Human resourcefulness ceases to amaze me."

"Oh, you're awake now," Bulkhead retracted his wrecking ball, transforming it back into a hand that he offered to Centennia, "About time. So much for physically capable, looks like you still need a few cycles to get your bearings." The fembot first grabbed Jack and the others, placing them on her shoulders and helm before taking Bulkhead's hand, allowing him to pull her up gently.

"I may not be in top form, but I am _far_ from being incapacitated, Bulkhead," she straightened her form and flashed her white eyes, the most striking part of her appearance besides her strange armor configuration. Bulkhead shrugged at her slight bravado, Jack guessing that it was pride that was speaking now, while Arcee gave a small smirk that didn't go unnoticed by the boy. Oh great, here we go again…

"And yet you get jumped by a couple of servant-class Vehicons?" Arcee passed by her and Jack had to hold onto Centennia's shoulder a bit tighter when he felt the fembot jerk slightly to face the motorcycle, "Even the kids did more to help than you." The slightly harsh insult caused everyone to uncomfortably stare between the two femms, Jack traveling over to Miko and Rafael's seat at Centennia's left shoulder to ensure that if something did go wrong, he could cover them.

"…True," it surprised everyone when Centennia conceded, a small look of shame passing her face before it became determined, "However, drawing attention to my inability to perform at maximum efficiency does not help our cause. Arcee…" Again, Jack and his friends had to hang out a bit tighter as Centennia leaned towards the blue and pink automaton, although Centennia was taller than her.

"We will settle this one day, but for today, we focus on the mission at hand and getting the humans back to safety as our number one priority. Agreed?" Centennia asked, staring down the fembot while the other mechs stayed back, unwilling to join the catfight. Jack himself wondered what Arcee would do. They hadn't known each other long, but after listening to her regards about the new femm, he was certain that she wouldn't back down without a fight.

"…Only because that's what Optimus would've wanted," Arcee finally replied, the breath that everyone had been holding in now releasing in a unified and relieved sigh, "Let's move." Jack was rather shocked and happy that Arcee was able to move past the grudge, though he was more than a little worried that it would only escalate into something bigger later on. Sure, he'd seen her soft side, but her strong ties to her deceased partner as well as distrust of anything remotely related to the Decepticons always made her almost volatile…

**[**_**Centennia Logs**_**]**

Centennia was grateful that she could neutralize the situation before it got any more out of hand, but she would be lying if she didn't admit that she hated not rising to defend herself. It was Holly, her first human friend that had taught her that not everyone had a perfect day, but even so, Centennia's pride stung from being so…_useless_.

"Here," Arcee motioned to the others, before looking at Centennia, "You, stay put. We're going to clear the area." She nodded and kept herself against the wall, looking to her human charges that all decided to relocate to her left shoulder. Arcee knocked several times on a door they'd just come across, and when it opened, all three Autobots went in, guns blazing. It only took a few seconds of firepower before the entire hallway went quiet, oddly so after all that noise. Centennia took it as a cue that things had settled down and entered soon after, walking in calmly as she surveyed the damage they wrought. Several mechs laid scattered on the floor, some at their stations, others face down as they tried to run away. Scorch marks were still smoldering where they had missed, and Centennia wondered if any other mechs had heard the noise.

"Wait in here," Arcee ordered, the humans on her shoulder giving a sad and somewhat abandoned look at her words. Bumblebee replied in like with whirrs and buzzing that conveyed his disagreement.

"They're slowing us down and they're easy targets," Arcee began to walk away as she drew out one of her blasters, "They'll be all right in here. As long as they _stay put_." She gave Centennia a small glance before walking out, the two other Autobots joining her as she exited. She shook her head at Arcee's somewhat inability to express her rather see-through desire to protect the children before noticing that Jack was looking at Miko with a familiar hostile eye. Deciding that the children were safe enough, Centennia put them down, observing what was in the room as she waited for the boy to get whatever he needed to say off his chest. She didn't have to wait long before a fight broke out between Jack and Miko.

"It's your fault we're _stuck_ in this intensity!" the older boy jabbed a finger at her, eyebrows drawn down in an angry V, "What were you thinking, Miko?"

"Did I _ask_ you to follow me?" she threw back with sass, Centennia sighing a bit as she watched them bicker.

"Uh, you wanted us to be a band, doesn't that usually mean playing together?" Jack countered, Rafael starting to look nervous as he was caught in the middle of it. Centennia rose a hand, about to speak, but Miko immediately replied back.

"Well, maybe I decided to go solo," Miko put her hands on her hips in defiance, the rocker Asian girl putting up a fight to defend her adventurousness.

"Well, maybe _I_ have some regard for your safety!" Jack crossed his arms in return, Centennia again trying to interject, but finding that they were too involved with each other to notice her half-hearted attempts to stop the fighting. She agreed with Jack, mostly because Miko wasn't exactly 60 tons of metal and armed to the teeth with advanced alien weaponry. Despite being oblivious to the danger, Miko exercised poor judgment and merely ran head-first into the fray, which lead to Jack trying to admonish her. Young and naïve, Centennia saw that Miko did not understand much of what Jack was trying to make her understand, but yelling and arguing with her did not seem like the best tactic to helping her.

"Oh, I'm sorry, is your name _Optimus_?" Miko leaned towards Jack so that their foreheads were almost touching, "You can leave my protection to Bulkhead, thank you very much!"

"Waaa! Stop it, both of you!" Rafael suddenly shouted, darting between them and running behind Centennia's leg, the fembot looking on sorrowfully. She knelt down to comfort him, sitting on a ledge with him while the others came to join the quiet somber moment.

"H-Hey, Raf, Raf, it's okay," Jack spoke up, trying to see if he could get the kid to lift his head.

"Yeah, we're gonna be fine," Miko tried next, rubbing a hand on his shoulder, "Centennia's here if we need any help." The femm nodded and used her smallest finger to nudge the brown hair on his head slightly, though he just shirked more into his arms.

"And our bots'll come back for us," Jack encouraged more, looking at Miko for help.

"Yeah! They're going to take us home!" she finished, smiling at him.

"…How do you know?" Rafael sulkily asked, both of them lost for words until they looked at Centennia.

"Do you believe in Bumblebee?" Centennia gave another nudge to Rafael's head, the boy looking up for a moment before going back to his arms, nodding slightly, "Then there's all the proof you need. Believe in your friends and they _will_ come through for you. You'll see, Rafael…" After Centennia reassured the boy genius, Jack noticed something on the computer screens in front of them.

"Hey Raf, what do you make of that?" Jack nudged the glasses-wearing kid and Rafael looked up at the red and black screens that loomed before them. Now, distracted from the fear and danger of their situation, Rafael hopped down the steps and began to observe them, the two older humans coming over to look at it with him. Centennia similarly joined them, unsure what to make of it.

"It's important…real important," Rafael began before looking at the other screen, "And that…I'm not sure what that is…" Centennia walked over to the opposite screen before looking down at the keyboard, perplexed as she scrutinized the foreign keys. Rafael came over to her, tapping on her leg as he tried to get her attention.

"We gotta get this to Optimus!" he told her, Centennia kneeling down to pick him up. Miko and Jack similarly came over to get picked up, the femm standing to full height so that they could observe it close up.

"How do you know it isn't just a recipe for space nachos?" Miko queried skeptically.

"I know math when I see it," Rafael squinted at the Cybertronian glyphs, "And that is one serious equation." Centennia scrutinized the foreign lettering, unable to understand it despite herself being of Cybertronian origin, before turning her attention to a small round port off to the side by the keyboard. As she put the children down on the surface of the keyboard, her right servo reached for it and a small panel just beneath her wrist joint opened, showing a port of its own. Confused and surprised, Centennia continued to watch as a multi-pronged plug spawned from the keyboard's port in response to her own mechanical process.

"Centennia, what're you doing?" Rafael asked, adjusting his glasses.

"…I'm not sure," she admitted in puzzlement, glancing at her wrist before slowly moving it to the plug.

"Whoa, whoa, wait!" Jack held up his hands, making her stop, "You don't know and you're just putting that _thing_ in your arm?"

"Well, we're not getting anywhere by just standing around here, I say go for it!" Miko gave a big 'thumbs-up' and a grin, Centennia blinking before Jack started up again.

"We don't know what'll happen! It could set off an alarm or something!"

"Look, stop being such a worry wart! Centennia, just do it. If we get in trouble, I'll totally have your back!" The fembot looked at Miko for a few seconds before deciding to take a chance, unable to resist as she lined up her port and pushed it in. A small red bar suddenly appeared and it blinked a Cybertronian word before it turned green, the schematic disappearing as a sort of loading bar appeared.

"Wait, wait, go back! We have to get that equation!" Rafael panicked slightly, jumping over to her hands, "What did you do?" Her optics darted around the keyboard and she began fumbling with it, several screens popping in and out at her distress, more so because her right hand was somehow trapped in the jack port. In her frantic typing, Centennia paused when she saw a digital diagram of herself, and a small voice began to speak in a garbled tone.

"Whoa…what's that?" Miko asked, pulling out her pink cellphone and holding it up. She quickly took a picture, Centennia just looking somewhat helpless as she watched the loading continue to fill.

"If only this were in English I would be able to - " at Centennia's behest, the screen suddenly shifted, and it became translated into words she could understand, "…How convenient." The children snickered at her dry tone before they focused on the screen once more. The word in the loading bar suddenly became 'updating', and Centennia watched as the word 'terminated' became 'active' just above her diagram's head.

"_Updating data file 6100: Commander Killjoy – Previous Status: Terminated; Current Status: Active._"

Centennia looked to the other children as the computer's voice began to talk, small data packets of information flying across the screen as it continued to 'update'. And, what she could only describe as uneasiness, settled into her frame, Centennia's optics turning back to watch as the windows began opening with the words 'ERROR' blazing in a burning purple-red color.

"_Error…Conflicting Classification Rank – accessing data file 8961…Current Commander: Starscream. Contacting Administrative Assistance._"

"Uh oh, that's not good," Rafael began backing away from the console as the voice stopped speaking and a large red 'ERROR' flashed across the large monitor. Centennia, deciding that her curiosity wasn't worth the extra risk too little too late, wrestled with the jack before tugging her wrist free, the screen suddenly burning a deep red before returning to its perplexing math equation. She glanced at her charges after a small while of waiting, and was about to state that everything was fine before they heard a series of heavy footsteps slowly coming towards them, her helm snapping to the door located just to the left of the supercomputer.

"Quickly, hide!" she urged them in a hushed tone, looking around before laying on the ground and draping one of the bodies of the fallen Decepticons over her, shuttering her eyes to appear dead. She had managed to sneak a peek at the children who were hiding underneath the console before the door hissed opened, shutting her optic closed and listening to the Vehicon make its way towards her.

"Huh?" he uttered before she could feel the dull thuds as he walked right next to her, feeling the weight of the unconscious 'Con being moved off of her, "What in Primus' name – " She wasted no time in clenching her fist and delivering a solid right hook to the unsuspecting underling's head, holding his neck afterward as she rolled them both over so she was on top of him, a sharp metal hand poised in strike.

"_Soldier, what's going on in there? We heard something on your com-link_," a voice distantly echoed from the bot's helm, her optics narrowing before she opened her claw-like servo above him in threat. He looked at the lethal weapon before at her twisted visage, taking a moment or two to respond.

"...Just…slipped…someone's leaking oil up here," the smart 'Con answered, inhaling air into his cooling vent just a bit easier as she nodded.

"_All right. The next guard should be coming around soon, I'll let them know to look for you,_" the transmission ended and he seemed smug, even under the concealing helm.

"Looks like you're scrapped either way, femm," he sneered, getting cocky as he leaned towards her a bit. A small pang of annoyance ran through her circuits before she coldly peered down at him from her position.

"As are you," Centennia replied curtly before she brought her hand down in a mighty swipe and tore out the set of cords running down to his cord box, his head rearing back in silent agony, "Explaining the escape of an Autobot and three humans to your superiors ought to be punishment enough!" Her next swipe knocked his head to the side harshly, finally making the writhing Decepticon stop moving. Neither of her strikes were fatal, for sure, but the little simpleton would certainly learn his lesson for next time, should they ever encounter one another again. She almost had to shake her head as she realized how foul her thoughts had turned, wondering what made her suddenly lose herself like that.

"We haven't much time, let's roll out," Centennia turned to the children and laid a hand out for them, but Rafael was still looking at the schematic.

"We can't just leave this here! We have to figure out a way to send this to Optimus!" the boy reiterated, but Centennia scooped him up wordlessly, her receptors pricked to pick up the sounds of footsteps that drew near.

"Wait, Miko, your cell phone!" Jack turned to the Japanese girl before Centennia picked him up as well, only grabbing two of the children before the guard entered. The 'Con pulled out his blaster immediately and began to fire, holding up one of the fallen soldiers as cover.

"Take a picture!" the older teen yelled as they were being blasted, Miko bouncing up and down in oblivious excitement.

"Great idea!" she spoke, distracting Centennia as she looked over to the girl and had her shield blown right out of her hand. The guard slowly began to advance on her, but was similarly distracted when Miko yelled at him, confused when the girl took a picture of him with her cell phone.

"Not of that!" Jack angrily scolded her before pointing at the schematic, "_THAT_!"

"Ooohh," she uttered before doing as he said, giving Centennia enough time to lash out with a leg and kick in the Decepticon guard's knee joint, bringing him down to her level and giving him a severe jab to his head. He went down heavily, but it wasn't enough to completely knock him out, forcing Centennia to roughly grab Miko before running towards the door, a couple of blasts nipping at her heels.

"GO, GO, GO!" Jack urged her, Centennia agilely missing the shots before barreling through the exit. Just as she came out, however, Bulkhead honked his horn and blared his lights at her, causing her to jump over him while he transformed and charged straight into the unsuspecting Decepticon that was chasing her. Her head continued to watch as the bot pummeled the other, but had her attention drawn to her sides as the two remaining Autobots came for their humans. Centennia immediately unloaded her cargo, trying to be as gentle as she could, although the situation made it hard for her to do so without jarring the kids.

"I told you to stay put!" Arcee reprimanded before Jack ran to her, Miko and Rafael doing the same as they went to Bumblebee. Unable to transform, Centennia continued to run after them, but was slowly being left behind, her vents heaving as she tried to catch up.

"Hey, need a hand?" Bulkhead had slowed down for her, his undercarriage rising slightly as she looked down at him. Before Centennia could answer him, however, he suddenly drove into her, causing her to yell in surprise as she felt one of her legs slip in the collision. He managed to get under her as she fell and grunted under her weight, but continued to drive on all the same.

"Bulkhead, that's completely unnecessary!" Centennia tried to get off of him, but one of his arms transformed and latched onto her, the green behemoth unsteadily swerving as he did so.

"Unless you got an alternate form on hand…" he put his hand back into his form, steadying himself, "Just keep the 'Cons off my back!" She reared her head back at the authority in his voice before she shut up and did as he ordered, grabbing a whip and snapping at any blast that got too close for comfort, having to hang on whenever they went around a sharp curve. When they finally drove off of the ship, the femm eased up and got into a semi-comfortable position for the courteous ride back. Centennia's pride was, once more, wounded as she had to ride on Bulkhead's back during their escape, resting her elbows on her knees as they sped away from the Decepticon warship, the children laughing at her as Bumblebee slowed down to buzz at her. She gave a little mocking smile as she waved at them with her fingers, making them laugh more as she made a funny face by sticking her glossa out at them; much like Max did to Ally.

"You really need an alternate form, Centennia," Miko shouted to her from the passenger's seat of Bumblebee, "Maybe a sports car like Bee or a truck like Bulkhead!"

"I've already gotten something in mind, Miko, you needn't worry about me!" Centennia smiled back before looking back at the _Nemesis_, her mind uneasy after the encounter. What was all of that about? Killjoy? Error? Terminated? Was this possibly apart of her past? And more importantly, if she was indeed a former Decepticon...what would Marleen and the twins say?

* * *

><p><strong>[OPTIMUS PRIME - PERSONAL DATA]<strong>

"Bravo, Optimus!" Megatron mock-congratulated the triumphant Autobot leader as he finished off the last of the Terrorcons, "Though this is but a prelude. You may wish to save your strength for the main event!" The Decepticon warlord seemed unfazed by his army's destruction, and the dark cloudy sky behind him only served to make the evil purple luminescence of his optics stand out more. Optimus, tired but ever-persistent, proceeded to the foot of the cliff from where his opponent stood and began to climb, focusing his optics on the one staring down at him.

"You will not prevail, Megatron," Optimus grunted out, his breath ragged from the energy spent tearing through the dead Cybertronian warriors, "Not while Energon still flows through my veins!" When he made it to the top, Megatron merely crouched down to speak to his old comrade, grinning toothily.

"Fitting, for it is Dark Energon which flows through mine," the steel-gray Decepticon touched his chest before risking a few more feet towards Optimus to whisper, "As it does...through _her's_." Momentarily surprised by the close proximity as well as his words, Optimus made a swipe towards Megatron only to come up empty-handed as his foe leaped away. And though he made several well-placed efforts to shoot Megatron down, the Autobot leader had to settle with the minor victory as he watched the Cybertronian jet fly away.

'...Her...does he mean...?' Optimus was clear on what Megatron meant, but the mystery of the femm named Centennia now only grew. Was she perhaps more connected with all of this than originally conceived? However, Ratchet, trying to follow his commander up the ravine, broke Optimus from his thoughts and he helped the wounded medic onto the cliff.

"...If _this_ wasn't Megatron's end game," Ratchet's uneasy and foreboding tone rang out over the carnage of their battle, "Then what _is_?"

And as much as he would have wanted to respond, Optimus could only narrow his optics in suspicion.

* * *

><p><strong>chiv-id: YAY, DONE, WHOO, ANOTHER CHAPTER. However, this is not the end of "Darkness Rising, Part 4". *cries a river of tears* I HAVE NOT EVEN GOTTEN PAST THE MINISERIES PEOPLE, SO YOU CAN UNDERSTAND HOW SLOW THIS IS MOVING. GAAHH!<strong>

**Anyway, please REVIEW! I can't even tell which reviews were for the last chapter since Fanfiction somehow replaced my last chapter with the same chapter I was uploading before...so, I'll do reviews next time I upload which will hopefully be in the next week or two weeks. CROSS YOUR FINGERS GANG!  
><strong>


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